San Francisco, CA
San Francisco 49ers: Brandon Aiyuk Could Be Poised For Year 3 Breakout
Whereas a lot of the main target for the San Francisco 49ers this offseason has been on Deebo Samuel, there’s a teammate within the huge receiver room worthy of equally important consideration as he enters 12 months three of his NFL profession.
The 49ers traded up within the first spherical of the 2020 NFL Draft for Brandon Aiyuk and, two years into his time within the professionals, some could also be questioning whether or not that transfer was a mistake.
To pose such questions on Aiyuk could be to make a harsh evaluation of the beginning of his NFL profession. Aiyuk could not have reached the heights of fellow first-round receiver Justin Jefferson by way of pure manufacturing, but he has unquestionably been a key contributor for the Niners and goes into 12 months three with a chance for a breakout season.
San Francisco’s new huge receivers coach Leonard Hankerson seemingly believes as such, telling Matt Barrows of The Athletic that Aiyuk solely actually began to familiarize yourself with Kyle Shanahan’s system throughout the second half of the 2021 season.
“Now it is about how he can take that subsequent step to be one of the best,” Hankerson mentioned.
The numbers again up Hankerson’s feedback about Aiyuk’s efficiency down the stretch run. Because the Niners acquired sizzling to achieve the postseason as a six seed, he completed with no less than 85 yards in 5 of the final 10 video games. Aiyuk scored a landing in two of the video games through which he failed to take action, together with the game-winner in extra time towards the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 14.
As his receivers coach indicated, the stress is on Aiyuk to construct on the extent of efficiency he displayed within the second half of the 12 months and within the postseason for everything of 2022.
Doubtlessly serving to him do that’s the impending swap to Trey Lance as beginning quarterback. The Niners offense probably will change no less than considerably as they pivot from Jimmy Garoppolo—a quarterback who does his greatest work on brief and intermediate throws—to an aggressive signal-caller with arm to make downfield throws with higher consistency.
Samuel led the Niners and was third within the NFL with 23 receptions of 20 yards or extra in 2021. The character of his recreation and the way the Niners used him, nevertheless, meant that lots of these receptions got here on performs the place he created yards after the catch. Samuel’s 10.4 yards after catch per reception had been a league-high, per the NFL’s NextGen Stats.
Aiyuk had a powerful 16 such catches and, whereas he too excels with the ball in his fingers—Aiyuk and tight finish George Kittle every averaged 6.7 yards after catch per reception in 2021—no San Francisco receiver had the next common depth of goal than Aiyuk’s 9.8.
Although the 49ers picked speedster Danny Grey within the third spherical of this 12 months’s draft, Aiyuk may nicely emerge as Lance’s greatest downfield choice amongst their established pass-catchers.
Certainly, the 49ers’ religion in his route-running potential could quickly pay higher dividends. His 2021 common separation of two.9 yards—per NextGen Stats—was corresponding to Davante Adams (2.9) and Jefferson (3), two of the league’s premier route-runners.
It trailed each Kittle (3.1) and Samuel (3.3), but they had been every afforded extra cushion than Aiyuk. On common, Aiyuk was given 5.5 yards of cushion in comparison with 5.8 for Kittle and 6.7 for Samuel.
The significance of each Samuel—whom the 49ers stay dedicated to maintaining regardless of his commerce request—and Kittle to the offense, will probably hold Aiyuk because the third choice within the passing recreation.
His place within the pecking order undoubtedly impacts the potential for an Aiyuk breakout season however, given his mastery of the offense, his separation abilities, current historical past of constructing performs downfield and his potential to create after the catch, there’s arguably no receiver higher suited to the problem of excelling in a Shanahan scheme tailor-made to the strengths of Lance.
Defenses will stay targeted on Samuel, Kittle and the specter of a run recreation prone to solely develop extra various with Lance beneath middle. Nevertheless, 2022 may very well be a 12 months through which Aiyuk emphatically punishes them for not paying correct consideration to his substantial items.
San Francisco, CA
Hayes Valley Quadruple Murder Suspect Convicted on All Counts
Lee Farley, 36, was convicted Friday of shooting and killing four men in the Hayes Valley neighborhood in 2015.
In a statement, prosecutors said that Farley was found guilty of using a rental car from Walnut Creek to perform a drive-by shooting on an idle Honda Civic, firing 18 shots into the vehicle before fleeing.
All four victims died on the scene.
Farley, who initially plead not guilty, was serving time for unrelated charges in 2016 when authorities connected him to the shootings, according to reporting from SFGATE.
“Our strong legal team fought hard, understanding that while nothing we do can bring back their loved ones, that hopefully this verdict brings them some comfort,” said District Attroney Brooke Jenkins in the statement.
Farley is set to be sentenced on Dec. 16.
Photo via X
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Giants Predicted to Spend This Offseason in Free Agency
The San Francisco Giants are heading into free agency and the offseason as a very interesting team to watch.
It was another disappointing season for the Giants in 2024, as they finished under .500 once again and missed the playoffs for the third straight year.
The struggles in San Francisco resulted in a change in the front office, as Buster Posey took over as the President of Baseball Operations.
With the decision to add Posey to the front office, the hope is that he will be able to lure in some of the top caliber free agents that they have been missing out on in recent years.
The Giants haven’t been shy about spending money, but that money hasn’t always went to the right places.
Recently, Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report ranked teams in different tiers based on what they will spend this offseason. For San Francisco, he placed them in the tier that will be spending this winter.
“Perhaps the most interesting team on this list is the Giants, with former NL MVP Buster Posey now serving as their president of baseball operations. He’s talked about wanting to figure the shortstop position out, which is why we’ve projected the Giants as the landing spot for Adames. But San Francisco has had a hard time getting star players to sign on the dotted line in recent years, probably due in large part to Oracle Park being seen as a bad place to hit at 81 times a season.”
While the Giants have the desire to sign a superstar and the next face of the franchise, there have been some indications that they might not break the bank this offseason. However, at the same time, they have been linked to some of the top free agents this winter.
Currently, the biggest need for San Francisco is in their lineup. While Juan Soto would be a great addition, him going to the Bay Area seems unlikely. However, a player like Willy Adames or Alex Bregman might be a more realistic target. Neither one of those players would be cheap, but both would instantly upgrade the lineup.
In addition to trying to upgrade the lineup, the Giants also saw Blake Snell decline his player option to become a free agent. Considering how good Snell was in the second half of the season, it will be interesting to see what the plan is to either bring him back or replace him.
While San Francisco will certainly be spending this offseason, the real question will be how much the organization is willing to invest.
San Francisco, CA
Atmospheric river storm causes minor flooding in San Francisco
Some San Francisco roadways and neighborhoods experienced minor flooding Friday as the atmospheric river dumped heavy rain on the city.
Matthew Coric said he was inside his restaurant when all the sudden he noticed water rising outside.
“Water was coming over the curb already and Rainbow Grocery closed for the day because they flooded or started to flood, and the next two restaurants had water in their restaurant already,” said Coric.
Two years ago during another big storm, the entire block flooded with several feet of water.
Coric told KPIX he was determined to not let that happen again, so he and some of his employees grabbed brooms and anything else they could get their hands on and ran towards the flooding.
“These two drains right here on either side of the street, we literally couldn’t see them. This was up above the curb. We were just blindly scraping trying to get it unclogged until we could see the little tornado start,” said Coric.
He said they were able to unclog the drain just in time to stop the water from flooding his restaurant, and that it took about 30 minutes for the water to fully recede.
While he is happy they were able to avoid another crisis, he said he wishes the city would have been monitoring the area so that he and his employees didn’t have to fix it on their own.
“It flooded two years ago, and then last year the city was like high alert. They would park their trucks out here and make sure nothing happened. But now it’s been two years, they forgot about us again and same thing happened,” said Coric.
He said, from now on when it rains, he’s going to monitor the drains himself and step in anytime he sees them getting clogged.
He recommends that others in areas where flooding happens do the same.
“If you’re out on the street, anybody right, and you see the drain overflowing, I know if you can wait for the city that’s great, but it might not come. Just clean it yourself or get somebody that can just to save everybody a bunch of headaches,” said Coric.
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