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49ers Have Found Gold in Rookie Safety, Brock Purdy Amazed: “He Is Unbelievable.!”

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Under the neon of a preseason August, San Francisco may have uncovered exactly what every contender hunts this time of year: a safety who tilts downs before the ball is even snapped. Rookie Marques Sigle — a fifth-rounder out of Kansas State — has wedged his way into the conversation with physical, communicative play and a calm pre-snap demeanor that’s winning coaches over in a hurry. In the opener vs. Denver, he stacked seven tackles and a clean open-field stop, the kind of tape that earns quick trust on Sundays. 

What makes Sigle’s rise more than a one-night headline is the fit. In a room that now includes Ji’Ayir Brown and veteran Jason Pinnock, coaches have kept the competition open — and Sigle has already rotated with the starters in practice. That speaks to process: disguise the shell, keep the feet quiet, drive without grabbing, finish square. If he keeps that rhythm in big-nickel and quarters-match looks, the call sheet on third-and-medium gets a lot braver. 

Brock Purdy felt the jolt, too. Asked about the rookie’s edge after the latest preseason run-through, the franchise quarterback didn’t waste words:

“He is unbelievable.! You feel it in the huddle—the speed, the instincts, the calm. Plays like that aren’t flashes to me; they’re habits. If he keeps stacking days like this, he won’t just help our defense, he’ll change the way we close games.”

Momentum matters in August, but so does context. The staff’s next checkpoints are clear: how Sigle handles motion/bunch communication, the timing of his late spins into robber, and hand discipline at the catch point. If those stay tight, his floor is uncuttable (core special teams + sub-package closer) and his ceiling is the piece that lets San Francisco squeeze windows without bleeding explosives.

Meanwhile, Purdy himself has been back in the saddle — even opening the Week 2 preseason game with a crisp completion — a reminder that the offense is humming while the defense reshapes its back end. If Sigle cements a role beside Brown and Pinnock, “found gold” won’t feel like a metaphor for long. 

Raiders Reunite with a Former Starter to Fortify the Offensive Line
Las Vegas, NV   The Las Vegas Raiders have brought back a familiar face in a move that screams both urgency and savvy: versatile offensive lineman Jermaine Eluemunor is returning to the Silver & Black on a one-year deal (terms not disclosed), reuniting with the franchise where he logged some of the best football of his career and immediately fortifying a position group that has been stretched thin. Eluemunor, 31, started for the Raiders from 2021–2023, showing rare position flexibility across right tackle and guard while anchoring pass protection against premier edge rushers. His technique, anchor, and ability to handle long-arm power made him a steadying force during multiple playoff pushes. After departing Vegas, Eluemunor spent time elsewhere refining his craft, but a confluence of roster needs and scheme familiarity has set the stage for a timely homecoming. For the Raiders—fighting to keep pace in a rugged AFC—this is about stability and fit. Injuries and week-to-week availability on the right side of the line have forced constant shuffling; protection packages have leaned heavily on chips and condensed splits to survive obvious passing downs. Eluemunor’s return allows the staff to plug him at RT or slide him inside at RG, restoring balance to protections and widening the run-game menu (duo, inside zone, and the toss/ pin-pull that Vegas fans love when the edge is sealed). “Jermaine knows who we are and how we want to play,” a team source said. “He brings ballast. Assignment sound, physical, and smart—he raises the floor for the entire unit.” Beyond the X’s and O’s, there’s an unmistakable emotional charge to this reunion. Eluemunor was a locker-room favorite in his previous stint—professional, detail-driven, and accountable. The belief internally is that his presence stabilizes communication on the right side (IDs, slides, and pass-off rules vs. games and simulated pressures), which in turn unlocks more vertical concepts and keeps the quarterback cleaner late in games. On social media, Raider Nation lit up the timeline with a simple refrain: “Welcome back, Jem.” Many fans called the deal the exact kind of “rival-poach, ready-to-play” move a contender makes in October: low friction, high impact, zero learning curve. What it means on the field (immediately): Pass pro: Fewer emergency chips, more five-out releases—OC can re-open deeper intermediate shots without living in max-protect. Run game: Better edge control on toss/duo; more confidence running to the right on money downs. Depth & versatility: One injury doesn’t force a cascade of position changes; Eluemunor can cover two spots with starting-level competency. The timetable? Swift. Because Eluemunor already speaks the language—terminology, splits, cadence rules—he could suit up as early as this weekend if the medicals/check-ins continue to trend positive. The message is clear: the Raiders aren’t waiting around for the line to gel—they’re engineering it. If Jermaine Eluemunor plays to his Raider résumé, this reunion could be the precise mid-season jolt that steadies the offense and keeps the Silver & Black firmly in the postseason race. Raider Nation, the question writes itself: Plug-and-play stopgap—or the catalyst that reclaims the right side