Ex-49ers player apologizes to Aldon Smith’s family in touching tribute
“He was a creative mind,so smart,so fierce,so real,so powerful,his presence, his passion and his Aura meant a lot to me as a brother,” [Anthony “Boobie”] Dixon wrote, “and I wish I could’ve did more to help him and pray to God he doesn’t have to hurt anymore.”
Which returning player has the most to gain for the 49ers during training camp?
“Collins is the player who could unlock everything else along the defensive line. He’s a mammoth of a man, which makes it difficult to run in his direction. Collins also frees up the linebackers behind him. Can he bring anything to the table as a pass rusher? Can Collins go from being the guy who helps his teammates make plays to the one finishing and making tackles for loss?
Collins had some memorable splash plays during his rookie season. Come training camp, let’s see if Collins has taken the next step and can become the player the 49ers want him to be.”
Tafur: Five lingering 49ers questions after offseason practices: Will pass rush rely on a rookie? (Paywall)
“I just think Height, at 6 feet 3 inches and 239 pounds, is going to need to get stronger to fend off blockers in the NFL. General manager John Lynch loves to say that you can’t evaluate draft picks for a couple of years, and that will be the case with Height.
The 49ers didn’t need to sign a veteran edge rusher in the spring, but they still have plenty of cap space to do so. And there are plenty of interesting names out there, like Joey Bosa, Jadeveon Clowney, Cam Jordan and Von Miller. Those veterans have enough snaps left to help out behind starters Nick Bosa and Mykel Williams, especially when Williams moves inside from the edge on third downs. The 49ers could also wait until the Raiders try to move Maxx Crosby again, probably closer to the trade deadline.”
49ers players at odds with ownership over workers’ comp bill that targets pro athletes (paywall)
“The proposed changes to eligibility criteria for workers’ compensation claims of occupational disease and cumulative injury would apply only to professional athletes, narrowing the scope of liability for pro teams in the state. All players on the 49ers’ offseason 90-man roster collectively signed off on a joint statement with the NFL Players Association, obtained by the Chronicle, that took issue with the selectivity of SB795.”
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