August 7, 2024 • 8 mins
Grant Cohn from Sports Illustrated in San Francisco joins Dave Softy Mahler to talk about the ongoing situation between the 49ers and Brandon Aiyuk with a trade in the works, Trent Williams’ contract situation, the Niners heading into 2024, and the Hawks.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Garra, you mentioned the Niners there, you heard that story
(00:02):
from San Francisco joining us right now on the radio
show the guy that covers the Niners better than anybody
from SI at All forty nine ers fn his YouTube
channel as well. Grant Cohen on Twitter, Grant Cohen is
where that's right now? On the radio program, Grant welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
How are you, man, Softy? Thank you so much for
having me back. How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I'm good, it's been a while. I hope your off
season went good. I heard a little bit of a
clip of an interview with Christian McCaffrey today where he
referred to Brandon Ayuk as a former teammate. Can we
officially say the Brandon Ayuk era in San Francisco is over?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
We can't officially say it, but it feels like we
can unofficially say it. It seems like what's going on
is the Steelers have made an offer. He's willing to
sign an extension with Pittsburgh, and the Niners want more
from Pittsburgh because when, if, and when this becomes public,
they're gonna look bad. They're gonna lose the trade, their
team's gonna get worse. So they're holding out in vain.
(00:58):
Most likely they're trying to throw other teams in the mix,
and Brandon simply doesn't want to play for Cleveland or
New England because no one wants to play for Cleveland
or New England. So the Niners are in a bad
spot and it's gonna be embarrassing when this becomes a
just wow.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
So what happened? How did this thing go so south? Well?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I think the Niners thought they had leverage or something,
and they waited and they took their time, and then.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
The wide receiver market just exploded.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
I'm and Ross Saint Brown got thirty million dollars a
year before the draft, and I think that changed Brandon
I's entire mindset, like why should I take less with
this team that doesn't really value me? Where I could
go somewhere else and get paid.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
And I think it.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Seems like he's gonna get what he wants. It seems
like he's sort of doing It's almost like the NBA
effication of the NFL. These wide receivers getting thirty million
dollars a year. Eventually they're just gonna say this is
where I want to play it.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
There's nothing you can do about it.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
And we're seeing it right now.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Well, this feels like and again Grant Cohen is with
us on the radio show, I mean, this feels like
kind of a significant loss without him next season. I
know you drafted Ricky Piersoll out of Florida, but am
I nuts in that this is not a nothing loss.
If Brandon Ayuk is not playing Week one for the Niners.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
It's not a nothing loss, although it's I mean, the
real story is that Trent Williams is holding out, Like
the Niners.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Will be okay and they still have Trent Williams.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Excuse me, Jwan Jennings, Deebo, Samuel Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle.
They have weapons, right, but without Trent Williams, they have
the worst offensive line in the league. And that's not hyperbole.
So could they survive without I think they could, But
they can't survive without Tranent Williams at all. Like they've
had him since twenty twenty. They're three and six without him.
They're screwed without him. So they gotta handle Ayuk so
they can get to Trent.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah, what's going on with Trent Williams? You think he
suits up week one?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Oh Man?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Not so sure about that, and if he doesn't, they lose.
They play the Jets at home Monday Night football. He's
been the opposite of Ayu. I have been kind of
immature and vocal about his displeasure. Tranent Williams, the oldest
guy on the team. He's being very quiet and confident,
and it seems like the Niners really have no leverage
on that one. And what he wants probably is a
whole lot of guaranteed money. How the Dolphins just renegotiated
(03:02):
Tyreek Hills deal and gave him a whole bunch of
guarantee money.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I think that's what Trey Williams wants.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
And what complicates the issue is that the Niners just
did that for Christian McCaffrey, So they kind of have
to pitch late soon.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Well and grant Cohenes with us.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
And to me, this is still a super Bowl caliber
champion team. I mean they were that obviously a year ago,
probably should have won it a year ago, didn't get
it done. But does this on paper look like a
stronger team than you saw a year ago or a
weaker team than the one that we saw lose to
Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
A weaker team.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
It's an older team that's played sixty games in the
last three years, and like, you can't ignore the fact
that the Niners have had the most drama of any
team of it in the league this offseason. Like the
focus of the forty nine ers isn't football yet. And
we assume they'll get there because they're such a good team.
But it's like this guy's holding in, this guy's holding out,
this guy's hurt, that guy's hurt. It's just like everything
(03:55):
but football. So you hear about the Super Bowl hangover,
That's what it looks like. I mean, it's right staring
usn't fate not good?
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Well, we saw that in Seattle Grant. I mean, when
they had all that talent. You know, I'm walking, I'm
at the Seahawk facility right now. Locker room's right behind me.
I remember walking in there seeing Richard Sherman, you know,
Earl Thomas, cam Chancer, Bobby Wagner, kJ Wright, Marshawn Lynch,
Doug Baldman, blah blah blah. When you have that much talent,
there's gonna eventually be drama because you got a lot
(04:24):
of egos inside that locker room.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
So this is what happens when you win. This is
what all fans want.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
But I think the biggest question to me is what
does brock Perty's next contract look like? And how far
are the forty nine ers willing to go to pay
this guy.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
That's a great question. That's next year.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
But it's like you're looking at what Jordan Love got
fifty six million dollars a year, and it's like, well,
brock Perty's resume is better.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I mean, if someone.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Gets sixty million dollars year, if Dak gets sixty, brock
could make the argument that he's better.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
But I don't know that the Niners value him like that.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
You know, I think they could maybe offer him forty
five million dollars year and say take it or leave it,
and you know, if he wants more, they could let
him play out his contract and then go go get
Kirk Cousins, who's gonna get replaced by Michael Pennix Junior
in a couple of years, like they're thing and he's
making forty five. So I don't really think that Kyle
Sanahan is going to bend the knee to young brock
(05:17):
Party and say you're you're the franchise.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Here's a plank check. I just don't it's not how
he works.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Yeah, would you give him fifty five million dollars? I mean,
obviously you got one more year to see what it's
all about. But does does brock Purty strike you as
a guy that should be paid alongside Trevor Lawrence to
a tongue of Ilo, Jordan Love and Justin Herbert.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
No, I really, I think the only time it's smart
to pay a quarterback that much money is if you
feel he's a future Hall of Famer. If you're paying
a merely a very good quarterback that much money, you're
not gonna win a Super Bowl, right, So I don't
think they should think they should have offer him forty
five and if he holds out for more, like trade
him to some other team that's regular and see if
he can really carry a team, because he hasn't proven
he can carry a team. He's proven he can handle
(05:56):
a team where everything's going well, and there's a skill
in that.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
But I think twenty quarterbacks to do that.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
I wonder on draft day, third round, brock Perty's sitting
around waiting for a phone call, and somebody says, Hey,
you're gonna get the call. And by the way, in
about four years from now, you're gonna get offered forty
five million dollars a year, and he holds out looking
for more. So I would think that'd be a major
win for him. But Grant, before you go, Grant, come
with us on the ear. I'm always curious to get
kind of the take from the rest of the division
(06:21):
of what's happening up here in Seattle. When you think
about this Seahawk football team that's been assembled up here,
brand new head coach, brand new coaching staff, the whole thing.
Do you see the Seahawk team from your perspective as
a threat in this division?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Oh? Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I mean Mike McDonald really ate Kyle Sanahans lunch last year.
Now had great players in Baltimore. But it seems like
schematically he is sort of like the Andy Reid of defense.
He seems like he's the most cutting edge schematic coach
on defense in the league. And you already have good
talent on that defense. The secondary is loaded. I really
(06:57):
looked at Seattle as one of the first coach teams
in the league last few years, just straight vanilla on
offense and defense.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
And now that's not gonna be the case anymore.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
But the reason I'm a little skeptical of Seattle still
is Gino. Yeah, I just as a guy who only
really watches Seattle when they played the Niners, he looks
like borderline scared against the Niners. He never really plays
with confidence the way Russell did against the Niners, and
I'm not sure he's ever gonna beat the Niners, whereas
a guy like Kyler Kuld.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
So my only question was, really, is Gino right?
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Right?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Well, it's funny because you mentioned how vanilla the offense was,
and that ice cream man that you're referring to the
offensive coordinator is now responsible for Caleb Williams in Chicago,
So good luck if you're a Bears fan with that guy.
And by the way, just because you I'm gonna call
him the ice cream man from now on the the
OC with the Bears.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
How did he get that job with the Bears after
what he did in Seattle.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It's beyond meirty.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Two no idea. I'm totally with you.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
It's it's unbelieve the fact that Chicago turned over the
keys to Caleb Williams and Roma Doonze to that guy
and said we're gonna put but their legacies in your
hands is unbelievable. Hey, Grant, great stuff. Man, appreciate this
and we'll talk down the road, buddy.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Thank you, pal, have a good one. You got it. Grant,
come with us on the radio show.
Garra, you mentioned the Niners there, you heard that story
(00:02):
from San Francisco joining us right now on the radio
show the guy that covers the Niners better than anybody
from SI at All forty nine ers fn his YouTube
channel as well. Grant Cohen on Twitter, Grant Cohen is
where that's right now? On the radio program, Grant welcome back.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
How are you, man, Softy? Thank you so much for
having me back. How are you?
Speaker 1 (00:23):
I'm good, it's been a while. I hope your off
season went good. I heard a little bit of a
clip of an interview with Christian McCaffrey today where he
referred to Brandon Ayuk as a former teammate. Can we
officially say the Brandon Ayuk era in San Francisco is over?
Speaker 3 (00:37):
We can't officially say it, but it feels like we
can unofficially say it. It seems like what's going on
is the Steelers have made an offer. He's willing to
sign an extension with Pittsburgh, and the Niners want more
from Pittsburgh because when, if, and when this becomes public,
they're gonna look bad. They're gonna lose the trade, their
team's gonna get worse. So they're holding out in vain.
(00:58):
Most likely they're trying to throw other teams in the mix,
and Brandon simply doesn't want to play for Cleveland or
New England because no one wants to play for Cleveland
or New England. So the Niners are in a bad
spot and it's gonna be embarrassing when this becomes a
just wow.
Speaker 4 (01:09):
So what happened? How did this thing go so south? Well?
Speaker 3 (01:14):
I think the Niners thought they had leverage or something,
and they waited and they took their time, and then.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
The wide receiver market just exploded.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
I'm and Ross Saint Brown got thirty million dollars a
year before the draft, and I think that changed Brandon
I's entire mindset, like why should I take less with
this team that doesn't really value me? Where I could
go somewhere else and get paid.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
And I think it.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Seems like he's gonna get what he wants. It seems
like he's sort of doing It's almost like the NBA
effication of the NFL. These wide receivers getting thirty million
dollars a year. Eventually they're just gonna say this is
where I want to play it.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
There's nothing you can do about it.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
And we're seeing it right now.
Speaker 1 (01:47):
Well, this feels like and again Grant Cohen is with
us on the radio show, I mean, this feels like
kind of a significant loss without him next season. I
know you drafted Ricky Piersoll out of Florida, but am
I nuts in that this is not a nothing loss.
If Brandon Ayuk is not playing Week one for the Niners.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
It's not a nothing loss, although it's I mean, the
real story is that Trent Williams is holding out, Like
the Niners.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Will be okay and they still have Trent Williams.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Excuse me, Jwan Jennings, Deebo, Samuel Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle.
They have weapons, right, but without Trent Williams, they have
the worst offensive line in the league. And that's not hyperbole.
So could they survive without I think they could, But
they can't survive without Tranent Williams at all. Like they've
had him since twenty twenty. They're three and six without him.
They're screwed without him. So they gotta handle Ayuk so
they can get to Trent.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah, what's going on with Trent Williams? You think he
suits up week one?
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Oh Man?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Not so sure about that, and if he doesn't, they lose.
They play the Jets at home Monday Night football. He's
been the opposite of Ayu. I have been kind of
immature and vocal about his displeasure. Tranent Williams, the oldest
guy on the team. He's being very quiet and confident,
and it seems like the Niners really have no leverage
on that one. And what he wants probably is a
whole lot of guaranteed money. How the Dolphins just renegotiated
(03:02):
Tyreek Hills deal and gave him a whole bunch of
guarantee money.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
I think that's what Trey Williams wants.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
And what complicates the issue is that the Niners just
did that for Christian McCaffrey, So they kind of have
to pitch late soon.
Speaker 4 (03:14):
Well and grant Cohenes with us.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
And to me, this is still a super Bowl caliber
champion team. I mean they were that obviously a year ago,
probably should have won it a year ago, didn't get
it done. But does this on paper look like a
stronger team than you saw a year ago or a
weaker team than the one that we saw lose to
Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
A weaker team.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
It's an older team that's played sixty games in the
last three years, and like, you can't ignore the fact
that the Niners have had the most drama of any
team of it in the league this offseason. Like the
focus of the forty nine ers isn't football yet. And
we assume they'll get there because they're such a good team.
But it's like this guy's holding in, this guy's holding out,
this guy's hurt, that guy's hurt. It's just like everything
(03:55):
but football. So you hear about the Super Bowl hangover,
That's what it looks like. I mean, it's right staring
usn't fate not good?
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Well, we saw that in Seattle Grant. I mean, when
they had all that talent. You know, I'm walking, I'm
at the Seahawk facility right now. Locker room's right behind me.
I remember walking in there seeing Richard Sherman, you know,
Earl Thomas, cam Chancer, Bobby Wagner, kJ Wright, Marshawn Lynch,
Doug Baldman, blah blah blah. When you have that much talent,
there's gonna eventually be drama because you got a lot
(04:24):
of egos inside that locker room.
Speaker 4 (04:26):
So this is what happens when you win. This is
what all fans want.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
But I think the biggest question to me is what
does brock Perty's next contract look like? And how far
are the forty nine ers willing to go to pay
this guy.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
That's a great question. That's next year.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
But it's like you're looking at what Jordan Love got
fifty six million dollars a year, and it's like, well,
brock Perty's resume is better.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I mean, if someone.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Gets sixty million dollars year, if Dak gets sixty, brock
could make the argument that he's better.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
But I don't know that the Niners value him like that.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
You know, I think they could maybe offer him forty
five million dollars year and say take it or leave it,
and you know, if he wants more, they could let
him play out his contract and then go go get
Kirk Cousins, who's gonna get replaced by Michael Pennix Junior
in a couple of years, like they're thing and he's
making forty five. So I don't really think that Kyle
Sanahan is going to bend the knee to young brock
(05:17):
Party and say you're you're the franchise.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Here's a plank check. I just don't it's not how
he works.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Yeah, would you give him fifty five million dollars? I mean,
obviously you got one more year to see what it's
all about. But does does brock Purty strike you as
a guy that should be paid alongside Trevor Lawrence to
a tongue of Ilo, Jordan Love and Justin Herbert.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
No, I really, I think the only time it's smart
to pay a quarterback that much money is if you
feel he's a future Hall of Famer. If you're paying
a merely a very good quarterback that much money, you're
not gonna win a Super Bowl, right, So I don't
think they should think they should have offer him forty
five and if he holds out for more, like trade
him to some other team that's regular and see if
he can really carry a team, because he hasn't proven
he can carry a team. He's proven he can handle
(05:56):
a team where everything's going well, and there's a skill
in that.
Speaker 2 (05:59):
But I think twenty quarterbacks to do that.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
I wonder on draft day, third round, brock Perty's sitting
around waiting for a phone call, and somebody says, Hey,
you're gonna get the call. And by the way, in
about four years from now, you're gonna get offered forty
five million dollars a year, and he holds out looking
for more. So I would think that'd be a major
win for him. But Grant, before you go, Grant, come
with us on the ear. I'm always curious to get
kind of the take from the rest of the division
(06:21):
of what's happening up here in Seattle. When you think
about this Seahawk football team that's been assembled up here,
brand new head coach, brand new coaching staff, the whole thing.
Do you see the Seahawk team from your perspective as
a threat in this division?
Speaker 2 (06:36):
Oh? Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (06:36):
I mean Mike McDonald really ate Kyle Sanahans lunch last year.
Now had great players in Baltimore. But it seems like
schematically he is sort of like the Andy Reid of defense.
He seems like he's the most cutting edge schematic coach
on defense in the league. And you already have good
talent on that defense. The secondary is loaded. I really
(06:57):
looked at Seattle as one of the first coach teams
in the league last few years, just straight vanilla on
offense and defense.
Speaker 2 (07:04):
And now that's not gonna be the case anymore.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
But the reason I'm a little skeptical of Seattle still
is Gino. Yeah, I just as a guy who only
really watches Seattle when they played the Niners, he looks
like borderline scared against the Niners. He never really plays
with confidence the way Russell did against the Niners, and
I'm not sure he's ever gonna beat the Niners, whereas
a guy like Kyler Kuld.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
So my only question was, really, is Gino right?
Speaker 4 (07:26):
Right?
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Well, it's funny because you mentioned how vanilla the offense was,
and that ice cream man that you're referring to the
offensive coordinator is now responsible for Caleb Williams in Chicago,
So good luck if you're a Bears fan with that guy.
And by the way, just because you I'm gonna call
him the ice cream man from now on the the
OC with the Bears.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
How did he get that job with the Bears after
what he did in Seattle.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
It's beyond meirty.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
Two no idea. I'm totally with you.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
It's it's unbelieve the fact that Chicago turned over the
keys to Caleb Williams and Roma Doonze to that guy
and said we're gonna put but their legacies in your
hands is unbelievable. Hey, Grant, great stuff. Man, appreciate this
and we'll talk down the road, buddy.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Thank you, pal, have a good one. You got it. Grant,
come with us on the radio show.
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