49ers' John Lynch makes Shedeur Sanders announcement during Brock Purdy contract talks

Billy Heyen

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49ers' John Lynch makes Shedeur Sanders announcement during Brock Purdy contract talks image

There wasn't anyone in the NFL not paying close attention to Shedeur Sanders' NFL Draft free fall.

That includes San Francisco 49ers general manager John Lynch.

He even shared some thoughtful words about Sanders after the draft, when the Colorado QB finally went in the fifth round at No. 144 for the Browns.

"There's a lot of time and we're all doing our work, but then you're sitting up there and this was a story that kind of was prevalent," Lynch told reporters. "I think more than anything, just empathy, that's tough for a young man. But I know that he's a competitor. I know that he's got his opportunity now and I think we tell people all the time, it's not when you go, it's not where you go, it's what you do with that opportunity."

Lynch wasn't finished.

"He's got that opportunity in Cleveland and I'm excited for him," Lynch said. "I remember seeing him down at Jackson State, his true freshman year, and really enjoying getting to know the kid. A lot of things are said about him, but now he gets to go prove that he's worthy of that pick by the Browns and we wish him nothing but the best."

MORE: Shedeur Sanders reportedly tanked his pre-draft interviews

The 49ers had been linked to Sanders early in the draft process almost in jest. Their offseason QB priority is getting Brock Purdy signed on to a long-term deal.

They did draft Kurtis Rourke out of Indiana in the seventh round, but that's it as far as additions.

This doesn't appear to be Lynch trying to pull off anything other than being nice to a guy who had a rough weekend. That's very kind of the GM toward Shedeur.

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Billy Heyen

Billy Heyen is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. He is a 2019 graduate of Syracuse University who has written about many sports and fantasy sports for The Sporting News. Sports reporting work has also appeared in a number of newspapers, including the Sandusky Register and Rochester Democrat & Chronicle