Golden Nuggets: A Joe Staley Trade is Unlikely

Good morning folks, Thursday morning always seems to be a pretty good day, considering that there’s football later tonight. The TNF games this year have been uncharacteristically good, with last week’s Raiders-Chiefs barnburner matching the excitement from our Week 3 game with the Los Angeles Rams. However, tonight’s game is virtually guaranteed to be lackluster in comparison, as the Dolphins travel to Baltimore to play the Ravens. With Dolphins QB Jay Cutler injured (and Ravens QB Joe Flacco a replacement-level-at-best talent), I’m inclined to believe this will be billed as a defensive matchup (15.3 PPG allowed for Miami, 18.6 PPG allowed for Baltimore), but will more likely play out as a clinic in offensive ineptitude.

The 49ers related news at the mid-way point of the week has been largely unimportant. Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters yesterday, offering pretty standard praise for both Carson Wentz & CJ Beathard, as well as mentioning that the team is open to trade offers before next Tuesday’s deadline for veteran LT Joe Staley. However, he qualified the latter statement with the warning that the price would be prohibitively steep, effectively putting the rumor to bed.

The injury news for the team is starting to solidify, and the major injuries on the team seem to be the right side of the offensive line, an issue that will surely be monitored closely as it gets closer to game day. What this means, of course, is that some permutation of Brandon Fusco/Garry Gilliam/Eric Magnuson/Zane Beadles will be starting. Defensive role players Aaron Lynch and K’waun Williams have sat this week out, and are considered unlikely, at this time, to play on Sunday.

In somewhat better news, Reuben Foster is expected to be ready to perform, after his rib discomfort was revealed to be simple bruising, as opposed to a diagnosis of fractured ribs, as some may have feared. Furthermore, Kyle Juszczyk is expected to play this week, which comes as welcome news considering the battering that CJ Beathard took at the hands of a relatively mild Dallas pass rush last week. Also, as the Philly pass rush is fairly solid and our OL will be depleted, the return of Juice may be the only thing that keeps Beathard upright on more than half of his dropbacks.

On to the good stuff-

A Joe Staley trade is unlikely | Branch, SF Gate | Inman, Mercury | Maiocco, CSN Bay Area | Lynch, KNBR | Barrows, Sac Bee | Biderman, Ninerswire

[TRANSCRIPT] Shanahan talks Eagles | Biderman, Ninerswire

Kyle Shanahan impressed with Beathard’s grasp of the offense | Barrows, Sac Bee

49ers are heavy underdogs against Philly | Biderman, Ninerswire

49ers are banged up on both sides of the ball | Biderman, Ninerswire

Marquise Goodwin discusses his concussion history | Branch, SF Gate

Reuben Foster expected to be ready to go | Wagoner, ESPN

49ers are #1 in penalties. Or #32, depending on your outlook | Barrows, Sac Bee

49ers Mailbag | Barrows, Sac Bee

On DeForest Buckner & his mentality | Maiocco, CSN Bay Area

C.J. Beathard talks about his childhood | Lynch, KNBR

Protest | Lynch, KNBR | Lynch (2), KNBR | Wagoner, ESPN | Biderman, Ninerswire