Can you talk about what it’s like to prepare to go against a player like George Kittle?
Kittle is one of the best and probably the most versatile tight end in the game. He'll pancake guys while blocking, then run crisp routes on defensive backs or just catch a ball over them. Then once he has the ball it'll take multiple guys to tackle him. We trust our defensive backs though to cover him and are just emphasizing batting it down and not get into a jump ball situation.
What is the status of Braden Smith and when is he set to return?
Braden unfortunately went down on the last play the offensive starters played. He's going to be out probably for the rest of the regular season and we hope to get into the playoffs and have him back for that game. He's of tremendous value to this team and he'll be working to get back ASAP.
Is quarterback a priority for this team in the upcoming draft?
Discussions are being made in-house about how to proceed. Will Levis has really turned a corner and is on his way to getting us into the playoffs as a rookie so tons of props to him and his leadership as the season has progressed. He hasn't committed a turnover in the last two games and has been more accurate as well. This is a strong quarterback class so it would be dumb to not look into these guys, but a couple months ago I would have said it was a top priority and now it is just a maybe.
What are your thoughts about the 49ers just in general as a team?
They are much better than their record. I expect them to genuinely compete next year.
