Jimmy G. isn’t the only veteran starter on the hot seat
Every time Kyle Shanahan has gotten asked about the timeline for Trey Lance, his answer has never changed. When he decides Lance gives the team a better chance to win, Kyle will make the change – just as he would at any other position. After some of DeMeco Ryans’ comments yesterday, could one of the other positions be strong safety?
While Tartt hasn’t been able to get on the field in camp, Tavon Wilson has been doing everything right in his absence to rise up and take that job — including teaching the receivers he’s supposed to be covering. Ryans were also asked about that yesterday:
“It’s important for us. Throughout training camp, offensively or defensively, you know, at times you put the pads on and you get tired of banging or going against each other, but our guys are really tight. That’s the thing about our team. We have a really tight team that works together, offensively defensively, not only on the field, but off the field, helping each other. When it comes to the schematics, comes to how the cover routes, how to run certain routes better, guys are always helping each other.”
As Levin Black pointed out in today’s Niners Nation Gold Standard podcast, if Wilson is seen as a leader on the field, it’s going to be hard for the team to bench him after Ward gets back.
Even when Tartt returns, depth at safety is going to be important. Three of his six seasons have ended on injured reserve, and the turf toe injury he sustained last year is notoriously difficult to come back from. Not to mention Jimmie Ward’s issues across from him as well.
While it’s entirely possible that Ryans was just trying to answer a question about Tartt without diminishing all the work Wilson has done to this point, I’d certainly be worried if I was Jaquiski.
The last thing you want your boss to say in response to an answer about your job status is, “We’ll see what happens.”
Other topics in the episode
- How Trey Lance is proving he knows the playbook inside and out
- If Jimmy does lose his starting job, what’s next for him?
- When do we start to believe in Dee Ford’s comeback?