Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Sunday, January 30th, 2022
“This is not the team that dominated in 2019 en route to a Super Bowl loss. But it’s far more mutable now, more chameleon-like in its ability to adapt to compromising circumstances, which are often self-created.
If 2019 was a spin on a freshly-paved road in a Tesla, 2021 has been a horse-and-buggy ride on cobblestones.”
“The team announced that they have activated running back Trenton Cannon from injured reserve and waiving wide receiver River Cracraft. They also elevated linebacker Mark Nzeocha and quarterback Nate Sudfeld from the practice squad.”
“The Rams play almost exclusively with three wide receivers, which means 49ers nickel back K’Waun Williams will be on the field for nearly every defensive snap of this game….And, more often than not, Williams will be lined up against Los Angeles’ triple-crown winning receiver Cooper Kupp.”
Thompson: Jimmie Ward, Jaquiski Tartt and a bond that runs as deep as any on the 49ers (paywall)
“It was Ward who got Tartt into football. Both were popular jocks in high school. Ward was a star defensive back. Tartt was a letterman in basketball. He was into football early on, as are most youth in Alabama, but basketball grew on him. His explosiveness translated well in hoop. He could jump out of the gym. But Ward was the ringleader in the push to get Tartt on the football team. And when the starting safety went down, Ward was the one who caught Tartt up to speed so he could replace him. When that safety got healthy and returned, he was moved to linebacker. Tartt was too good at safety.”
“The 49ers were in the midst of a four-game losing streak when Kyle Shanahan, defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans and defensive line coach Kris Kocurek sat down to discuss what could be done. The meeting resulted in a series of moves that were implemented against the Bears and that turned out to be highly successful.
In fact, you might say they saved the season.
Kocurek spoke to The Athletic this week about what went down in late October and how the line has evolved since.”
Branch: ‘He’s a bad dude’: How 49ers’ Deebo Samuel became unprecedented force in NFL (paywall)
“Mike McDaniel: He’s not a receiver. He’s a football player at the receiver position who also can play running back. And we treat him as such and he would have it no other way.”