Man, the 49ers’ preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday got rough real fast. After losing cornerback Ephesians Prysock earlier in the first quarter, tight end Brayden Willis was just ruled out with a concussion early in the second half. Brutal.
Who Even Is Brayden Willis?
Willis, at 26 years old, is one of those depth guys who’s been grinding since being a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL draft. He had a five-year collegiate career at Oklahoma, which is solid, but in three seasons with the Niners, he’s only logged 86 offensive snaps. And get this: the dude has never caught a pass. You gotta feel for a player trying to make his mark getting knocked out in a game, especially when it’s just the preseason.
TE Depth Looking Sketchy
Now, with Willis sidelined and their star tight end George Kittle already inactive for this game, the Niners are really digging deep. They’ll be leaning on Hayden Rucci and Khalil Dinkins to finish out the game at tight end. It’s a tough spot to be in, and it really shows just how quickly injuries can expose any team’s depth, even when it’s not the regular season crunch time.
This isn’t just about finishing out a meaningless preseason game anymore; it’s about evaluating who’s truly ready to step up when the real games kick off. San Francisco definitely needs to figure out their tight end depth chart fast. You never want to see concussions, especially for players trying their hardest to make the final roster. Hopefully, Willis has a speedy recovery and can get back on the field soon.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply