Brandon Aiyuk

And Mike Evans isn't top three anymore either, but the, Mike Evans' probably the best receiver he's had.

Aiyuk had a great year, but he was-

I thought Aiyuk right before he got paid-

Yeah, he had a great, he had-

... pretty great.

I, I would bet Aiyuk that year is better than Mike Evans now.

Ah.

But I don't know about red zone target.

My number one takeaway on Brock Purdy last night is he finally found his number one receiver.

He's had to deal with Deebo's injuries, and Kittle's injuries, and Brandon Aiyuk's immaturity.

It's never been linear, and Brock Purdy's gotten hurt.

Uh, this receiving corps is, is veterans.

Like, think about this.

A couple years ago, Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk started trending the other way.

Aiyuk started trending up, this great route runner, younger guy, more explosive.

Deebo battled some weight issues, struggled in the Super Bowl, and a couple years later, one guy, it, it shows you.

Who knew Australia would be exactly the reset that this franchise needed? Remember how hard Kyle Shanahan pushed back on that? Like, "Why do we have to go to Australia?" I'll tell you why, because the Rams don't want to play us in their house when they know that it's gonna be a road game.

In reality, having to go to Australia to recenter, to reset, was actually the best thing that could happen to a franchise that had an offseason from hell, an offseason from hell which included Jed Pork, Brandon Ayuk-

Stoked

...

Obviously, the injury to Stribling sucks and is so unfortunate to have a non-contact moment like that.

But overall, for them just to show up and show out against a, a team that has been getting all of the attention this off season for how great they are, and JBT, you and I talked about it when we did our NFL training camp tour of the San Francisco 49ers, that I felt like there was so much talk about San Francisco off the field, whether it's making fun of them for the electrical substation or Brandon Aiyuk drama, Kyle Shanahan's car accident, the prostitute in Palestine, Ohio, [laughs] right? Like the sting for Jed York.

Everyone was talking about all of this other stuff, and I didn't think they were giving enough attention for the talent that this group really does have, and it showed up in a big way and it...

Uh, I told you if the Rams blew them out, I didn't wanna overreact to week one.

Then, let's see.

Then last year, interestingly enough, even though it wasn't this, like, all-time memorable season, I know it was the year that put CeCe over the top in, like, okay – Purdy is the bus driver he's not just sitting in the back and letting Kittle and and Debo in the past and Ayuk in the past and and obviously Fred Warner who's bleeping awesome and just all over the field a plus guy like just it's such an important post all like no Purdy's the guy and you saw it last night yes he had a bad interception but 25 of 34 205 three touchdowns five carries 29 yards Had that 18-yard scramble up 17-7 after the big goal line stop that I know CeCe was loving as a defensive guy.

Like, wow, that was really impressive.

But what really happens here with Brock Purdy, very simply, you want to know when a quarterback's really good, when you have all-time great edge rushers on the outside like Myles Garrett, who didn't even show up in the box score, by the way.

Purdy is the bus driver.

He's not just sitting in the back and letting Kittle and Debo in the pass and Ayuk in the pass and obviously Fred Warner, who's bleeping awesome, just all over the field, A-plus guy.

It's such an important post.

No, Purdy's the guy.

And I understand that's a tight end, but right? I mean, it's just, that's it.

Debo, Ayuk, whoever you want to throw in there, Pearsall, all of it.

Right.

JJ, right? I mean, they're all very

That's

why the Niners don't have a 100-catch receiver, really.

The last guy to catch 100 balls was Ayuk before that.

My God, I think it was Anquan Bolden.