Golden Nuggets: Patrick Willis believes Fred Warner is “exceptional”

Your daily San Francisco 49ers links for Saturday, July 3, 2021

Enjoy the holiday weekend everyone. Get by the grill, get outside, and have a good time.

Patrick Willis praises 49ers LB Fred Warner: ‘Fred is exceptional’

“What I like most about his game, he’s tall. I stood beside him before and I’m like goddang, you’re pretty tall,” Willis said. “So he has the length but he uses it really well and moves well with his base. For me, I’m a big fan of that because I’m the type of person who I wanted to be an athlete. I didn’t want to just be a middle linebacker. I wanted to be a guy who could do it all, whether it was cover a running back that was like a scatback, or get in a slot, or sometimes you’re on an island by yourself. Again, he does it all really well. I don’t really see too much I’m not impressed with.”

George Kittle will be reason why 49ers make playoffs in 2021

Why George Kittle remains 49ers’ most important player:

What makes Kittle so important is not just his ability to make plays or his infectious personality, but his ability to be a safety valve for whichever quarterback is on the field.

Kittle has proven time and time again that he can be productive no matter who he catches the pass from. Whether that’s Garoppolo coming back from injury or Lance making his debut, Kittle will be who shapes the offense and dictates the flow against opposing defenses.

That’s not to say he’s the only weapon San Francisco has, and the team has been able to get its running game beefed up with some exciting additions from the NFL Draft. The 49ers have also seen other offensive weapons produce with backup quarterbacks such as wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.

Five Questions Jed York Needs to Ask Kyle Shanahan

2. What made Shanahan think he would get away with these illegal activities?

Shanahan knows his players and coaches can go to the league or the NFLPA and anonymously tell on the 49ers if their practices are in violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Shanahan also knows the league can summon his practice tape and watch it whenever it wants.

So why did he think he would get away with breaking these rules? Why was he so brazen?

Bar for 49ers rookie QB Trey Lance already being elevated

“The first week we went out there and he just kind of seemed to be a little bit unsure of himself — a tick slow,” Maiocco told KJR’s Ian Furness. “The ball was sailing high, you could tell there was just a lot going on in his head. Then in the next week he went out there and you could tell he was directing traffic, moving guys from spot A to spot B, and he threw the ball a little bit more accurately. It’s not often that you see a dramatic change that you can see with your naked eye.”

PFF calls Solomon Thomas the worst 49ers draft pick since 2006

Thomas was drafted as an edge rusher despite never having played there at Stanford,” wrote Renner. “While he dominated against the run for the Cardinal, he did so while penetrating as mostly a 3-technique. He looked like a fish out of water off the edge for the 49ers and never earned a pass-rushing grade higher than 58.3.”