Former Titans general manager Ran Carthon says he wants to check in on 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk after Aiyuk’s recent social media activity.
Carthon, speaking via PFT, said he has a personal connection with Aiyuk and believes there may be more going on beneath the surface. “There’s something there, and I’m being as transparent as transparent can be,” Carthon said.
“B.A. and I, we have a relationship. I was there when we drafted him, and through time spent in the same building, we have a relationship.
I honestly have been going back and forth in my head over the last week or so and I really want to reach out to him on a personal level and see if he’s willing to have the conversation, because I think there’s something there that hasn’t quite been unlocked. I don’t know if ‘unlocked’ is the right word.
But I do agree with you, this isn’t the Brandon Aiyuk I know. Now, I know him to be stubborn, so I know that part about him.
But this recent behavior, I’m not as familiar with. And the other part of it, to be quite honest, in this day and age with these guys, it could just be him trolling with the most recent video, knowing that he will get a reaction.
And maybe even trying to figure out - these guys are fairly smart - so maybe he’s like, ‘OK, maybe if I create enough buzz in saying whatever he said to Jayden [Daniels] online, then the 49ers won’t think I’m just trying to get to Washington. Maybe that’s a game being played right now.
But in full transparency, it’s something, probably when we get off the air, I may just shoot a text and say, ‘Hey man, let’s connect.’ I just want to see where his head is and offer him any advice that I can, or be a sounding board.”
In Arizona, Cardinals tight end Trey McBride had plenty to say about first-round running back Jeremiyah Love, and he didn’t bother softening the praise. McBride called Love “a f-- stud” and said the rookie’s game has already stood out in practice.
“That dude’s a f-- stud,” McBride said, via the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast. “He’s a stud, man.
Just the few practices that we had together, his route running and his ability to f-- making plays is pretty cool. I’m excited to have him on our side for sure.”
McBride also came away impressed with third-round quarterback Carson Beck, even if he doesn’t expect Beck to be under center in Week 1 unless something dramatic changes.
“He looks like a tight end. I’m like s-, bigger than me, you know?
But, no, he’s a stud. He throws the ball really well.
I think he has a chance to be a really good player in this league.”
“I don’t know about [starting] Week 1 unless something crazy happens, but he definitely has a chance to be a guy for sure.”
Over in Los Angeles, former Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson said Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua is the player most likely to threaten his receiving record.
“He’s still got Matthew [Stafford], so I think he’s got a shot,” Johnson said, via ESPN. “If he stays healthy, that dude’s a killer out there.”
Johnson said he once believed Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson would be the one to do it, but pointed to Minnesota’s quarterback move as a setback.
“I thought he could have been one, but they messed up his quarterback situation when they brought in my man from Michigan [J.J. McCarthy] when they had [Sam] Darnold just win them 14 games,” he said.
“I hate seeing people get fired, but people get fired when stuff like that happens. [Jefferson has] got the talent.
What year is he in? Like six or seven?
I mean, he needs to do it soon. He needs to do it soon, probably.”
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