# Erik Engle: Engel expects the 49ers and Trent Williams to rework the deal and stay together, thinks Williams retires after this season, doubts Monroe Freeling lasts to pick 27, believes Brandon Aiyuk is done in San Francisco with Washington the likely destination, predicts the 49ers compete for the NFC West and that whoever wins the division gets a first-round bye, and thinks Mac Jones could fetch a third-round pick or better. **Claimed:** Mar 20, 2026 **Pundit:** Erik Engle — https://missedtakes.co/pundits/erik-engle **Outlet:** Locked On 49ers (podcast) — https://missedtakes.co/outlets/locked-on-49ers-podcast **How it reached us:** said on air, transcribed by us **Original:** https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/pdrl.fm/f9f75c/lockedon.simplecastaudio.com/0a6076b9-74e2-4b01-846e-5cc0d0b8031c/episodes/2718ad03-9a93-48da-88ba-016ecfff25ef/audio/128/default.mp3?aid=rss_feed&awCollectionId=0a6076b9-74e2-4b01-846e-5cc0d0b8031c&awEpisodeId=2718ad03-9a93-48da-88ba-016ecfff25ef&feed=P83yLSb_ 5 checkable claims — 3 trade and signing calls, 1 mock draft pick and 1 seeding, byes and home field — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing bet. It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record. None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in. > I think the biggest question mark about Monroe Freeling is is is he going to be available when the 40 pick at 27? And I I personally think that that answer is no. *(their words, quoted for attribution)* ## The claims - **San Francisco 49ers to take the top seed** - Kind: Seeding, Byes and Home Field · About: San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Mac Jones to move** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Mac Jones - Verdict: not settled yet - **Brandon Aiyuk to move to Washington Commanders** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Brandon Aiyuk, Washington Commanders - Verdict: not settled yet - **Trent Williams to move to San Francisco 49ers** - Kind: Trade and Signing Calls · About: Trent Williams, San Francisco 49ers - Verdict: not settled yet - **Monroe Freeling to be picked “before No. 27 overall”** - Kind: Mock Draft Picks · About: Monroe Freeling - Verdict: not settled yet ## Who this take is about - San Francisco 49ers — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/49ers - Mac Jones — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/mac-jones - Brandon Aiyuk — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/brandon-aiyuk - Washington Commanders — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/teams/commanders - Trent Williams — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/trent-williams - Monroe Freeling — https://missedtakes.co/nfl/players/monroe-freeling ## What others said about the same people - Chris Simms on San Francisco 49ers: Simms went through every Week 2 game with predicted final scores, picking the Texans, Bears, Steelers (as an upset), Packers, Ravens, Eagles, Buccaneers, Panthers, Jaguars, Seahawks, Cowboys, 49ers, Chargers, Chiefs and Rams to win. He also reiterated that Denver was his preseason Super Bowl pick while predicting the Broncos would fall to 0-2. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/32db5f5e-13da-47e3-b280-2aa9a80d172b (scored 80.95) - Chris Simms on San Francisco 49ers: Simms went through the entire Week 3 slate with straight-up winners and predicted final scores, taking Jacksonville, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Detroit, Houston, Carolina, Kansas City, Seattle, the Giants, Baltimore, New Orleans, Minnesota, San Francisco, Denver and Philadelphia. He also expected Zay Flowers and Puka Nacua to sit, Kyler Murray to play, and said Marvin Harrison Jr. projects as no better than a good No. 2 or high-end No. 3 receiver. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/662b7ba3-1bf6-4ad0-9f93-9f2ab83143fd (scored 88.1) - Richie Bradshaw on San Francisco 49ers: Bradshaw picks the 49ers to beat the Cardinals in their Week 3 matchup, predicting a final score of 27-14 in San Francisco's favor. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/56e0c2a3-ddff-46f8-8359-2a546546a29c (scored 83.33) - Richard Sherman on San Francisco 49ers: Sherman picked winners and several exact scores across the Week 3 slate, favoring Seattle, San Francisco, Cincinnati, Detroit, Green Bay, Carolina, New Orleans, Baltimore, the Rams, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Kansas City, Minnesota, the Giants, Jacksonville and Houston, and named Kenneth Walker his MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c2102f61-711d-4041-af08-065e95ccaf03 (scored 83.33) - Colin Cowherd on San Francisco 49ers: The co-host (identified only as "Mitchell") made his own Week 3 picks, including blowout wins for Seattle and San Francisco, Cincinnati 27-17, Detroit 37-13, Denver 24-21 over the Rams, and predicted Jonah Coleman takes over the Broncos' running back role. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/4ccbceaa-54ca-4a2e-ad90-006f1ded0ad2 (scored 100) - Tyler Sullivan on San Francisco 49ers: Sullivan projects final scores for every Week 3 game, including a Bills blowout of the reeling Chargers, a Chiefs rout in Miami, a Seahawks win over a Mariota-led Washington, and the Saints beating the Raiders in their home opener. He also expects Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Jaxson Dart all to be sidelined in Week 3, with Marcus Mariota starting for Washington. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/e4b11b44-d359-4027-a72c-87833f5ff6e3 (scored 90.48) ## More trade and signing calls The same kind of call, about other players and teams. - Fox Sports on Austin Ekeler: The piece reports, citing ESPN, that Carolina is expected to sign veteran running back Austin Ekeler with Jonathon Brooks sidelined. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/a3aa7c15-e643-4c03-85d9-10aef8b4085a (scored 0) - Steve Kubitza on Za'Darius Smith: Kubitza suggests that Kevin Stefanski's Falcons may lure veteran pass rusher Za'Darius Smith away from Cleveland, signing him in Atlanta instead of the Browns. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/54fca826-8644-4e76-bc3f-5d8d44bcca23 (scored 100) - Mary Kay Cabot on Za'Darius Smith: Cabot reported that Za'Darius Smith is expected to sign with the Browns, possibly as early as Sunday, after working out for the team. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/3eb50e55-cb33-43c3-a427-d47904beb7bb (scored 0) - Brandon Carney on Austin Ekeler: Carney drafted a team of rookies he expects to make an immediate fantasy impact (headlined by Karnell Tate and Makai Lemon), predicted landing spots for the remaining big-name free agents, and gave way-too-early division winners, wild cards and award picks — Patriots, Chargers, Bengals, Jaguars, Eagles, Rams, Vikings and Saints as division champs with Joe Burrow as MVP. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/c4d477da-4fb8-4a25-a904-c5057a249a70 (scored 0) - Adam Carlson on J.J. McCarthy: Carlson names three Vikings he expects could be traded before the end of September: quarterback J.J. McCarthy, wide receiver Jordan Addison and linebacker Ivan Pace. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/65e3f9cf-c441-42a2-baaf-7cd3dbebafad (scored 100) - Greg Auman on J.J. McCarthy: Auman argues no quarterback is likely to replicate Sam Darnold's turnaround this season, but names five candidates. He expects Miami to hold a very high pick in the 2027 draft, and thinks J.J. McCarthy will eventually be traded for a late-round pick or cut by the Vikings. — https://missedtakes.co/opinions/9b8eb78e-ddfa-4274-ac8f-17b069e6b87f (scored 100) --- Accuracy is 0-100 against what actually happened. The naive guess is what a strategy requiring no knowledge would have scored on the same call — the difference is the skill, and it is what the MissedTakes Score averages. Full method: https://missedtakes.co/methodology We summarize what a pundit said and quote a short span for attribution; we never republish their article. If this is wrong, tell us: https://missedtakes.co/corrections?pundit=erik-engle