Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Christian McCaffrey calls trade to 49ers “the best thing that ever happened to me”
“I say this with the utmost respect, this is a family,” McCaffrey said. “It’s the first time I felt like, even alumni, just getting to know these guys, it’s special; it’s different, and there’s a reason it’s sustainable and has been for so long. The word I would use now is, just very proud to be a part of this organization.”
“Kickoff for their matchup against the 49ers is set for 7:00pm Pacific Time on Friday, Aug. 25….The preseason slate consists of a Week 1 road game in Las Vegas against the Raiders. Then they’ll host the Broncos in Week 2 of the exhibition schedule before wrapping up at home against the Chargers. That Week 1 game against the Raiders will feature joint practices between the two clubs.”
Jets’ analyst: 49ers QB Sam Darnold set up for success after losing with class (paywall)
“I mean, his very first pass was a pick-six,” Jets radio analyst Marty Lyons said of Darnold, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers in March. “His very first play. That could have easily rattled him. But he responded: The Jets won and scored (48) points.”
“I’ll tell you what, I had someone tell me this just recently,” Riddick shared with Rich Eisen. “They believe that Sam Darnold, in that match with Kyle Shanahan out there in San Francisco, that could finally be the spot that totally makes him become the out-of-nowhere surprise of the year….I had someone who I trust implicitly when it comes to quarterback play [tell me that]. I’m telling you, I said to him, I was like, ‘What?’ They’re like, ‘Just trust me on this one….And there’s nobody who’s a bigger Trey Lance fan than me,” he shared. “There may be, but I’m a huge believer. I couldn’t be more disappointed for how things have happened for him. So I’m inclined to go, ‘Look, he deserves the benefit of the doubt. He deserves another opportunity. He got hurt.’ We just don’t know who he is.”
““It’s an East Coast game, Bucky,” Baldinger explained on NFL Network’s Total Access. “Their biorhythms are off, but I think they finish with a win [against the Los Angeles Rams] and with a 12-5 record. I don’t know if that’s a No. 1 seed or not, but it’s a high seed. They’ll be ready for the playoffs.”