Brandon Lloyd: “I wanted to return to San Francisco and maybe bring a certain amount of closure to my career.”

SANTA CLARA — Brandon Lloyd was interviewed Tuesday afternoon outside of the 49ers’ locker room. Here’s a transcript.

Q: Do you feel like the year off last year is a non-factor?

LLOYD: Yeah.

Q: Dontae Johnson said you’re a very precise route runner. Has that always been one of your best attributes?

LLOYD: That’s what people say. Going against the defensive backs and there not being a lot of dialogue about what we do technically, the best thing I can do is be consistent with them and then they can pick up on that and improve on that. That was one of the things when I came  in and was talking with Chris Cook, I told him I would throw everything I have at him and we’ll all get better as we move.

Q: You’ve been getting high marks. After spending a year away from the game, did you expect to make an impact this quickly?

LLOYD: It’s just practice for now. I expected to come in and give 100 percent and do the best I can do and that’s what I’m doing so far.

Q: Is this training camp different for you mentally?

LLOYD: No, I put the same amount of pressure  on myself as I did when I was younger as far as going to another or beginning in the league. There would always be a couple of things I would say to myself — not to let the playbook defeat me, to give maximum effort every time and to make the plays. I just follow those steps and I’ve done that for the last 10 training camps.

Q: What’s your impression of Colin Kaepernick?

LLOYD: I think that Colin has a lot of tools. He has an incredible desire to get better, and that’s at everything, from training in the weight room to his film study to coming out on the field and trying to get better at throwing a particular route that we may miss.

Q: When you guys are doing the film sessions how vocal is he?

LLOYD: Sometimes he will speak up in the meetings and give his expectations for landmarks and locations of the ball. He’ll have the floor in the meeting and be able to discuss what he sees and what he expects out of the plays.

Q: Is that something Tom Brady would do, too?

LLOYD: I don’t remember.

Q: Why did you come back to the 49ers? Did you explore any other options?

LLOYD: I didn’t explore any other options.

Q: What drove you to come here?

LLOYD: We had discussed me coming back here the last couple times I was a free agent. I’ve always wanted to explore my options to come back and play for San Francisco. The first time I was here, the team wasn’t winning like the teams in the past that made people fall in love with the 49ers. When I was younger, I was in love with the winning attitude, culture that the team had. When I was finally able to play for the team, it no longer had that. Now the team does have that and San Francisco has always held a special place in my heart. So I didn’t explore any other options. I wanted to return to San Francisco and maybe bring a certain amount of closure to my career.

Q: You’re still the stretch-the-field guy. That’s your trademark. How have you been able to maintain that?

LLOYD: I don’t know. I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Q: You’ve been at it a long time and you still have the ability to get downfield and beat people over the top. Not many guys can do that after 10 years in the league. Is it offseason conditioning? Genetics?

LLOYD: I think it’s a combination of everything — offseason conditioning, genetics and play calling.

Q: As a former track athlete, is it fun for you to watch Lawrence Okoye?

LLOYD: I don’t know his history. I’ll have to talk to him.

Q: What do you think about the prospects of playing in the new stadium?

LLOYD: What do you mean?

Q: Your thoughts on ushering in the new era of 49er football?

LLOYD: I don’t have an opinion.

Q: What’s your impression of this offense?

LLOYD: There is a lot of similar play calls from the West Coast offense, and route combinations. We ran the traditional West Coast Offense at Illinois. I’ve been finding myself using comparisons from when I was in college. I was like, “Oh, we used to call that play this, we used to call that play that.” So that’s how I’ve been remembering. And then being with the 49ers my first three years in the league where we were running the traditional West Coast Offense, there are a lot of similarities. It’s been good picking it up. There also are a lot of nuances and formations that are the curve balls within the offense. There are a lot of details, so it hasn’t been easy but I’ve been enjoying the process.

Q: What have you seen from this receiving corps?

LLOYD: There is a lot of diversity in how each one of us gets open and how we approach route running and how we approach catching the ball. It has been fun for me to see the practice habits and to watch the game film of them being successful on other teams, and then Crabtree with this team. It’s a lot of different techniques and styles, and I can really appreciate that being that I do have to use releases. I pride myself on route running and catching the ball so it’s been fun watching those guys.

This article has 35 Comments

  1. He’s a different cat…. He’s dangerous on the field. Especially as the number 3.

  2. Where are you getting this down field threat idea about Lloyd? He had always been labeled a guy that runs great routes and make acrobatic catches. Only once in his career did he have over 10 catches of 20+ yards. Only once did he have over 3 catches of 40+. Coming out of college he ran a 4.62 40. Just curious if I’m miss if I’m missing something. No wonder he skirted the question.

    1. Ha ha!
      .
      No kidding.
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      LLOYD: I don’t know. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
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      I don’t think anyone in the press room knew what that guy was talking about.
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      Stretch-the-field guy???
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      *ALOHA*
      .

  3. I would have thought the 49ers would have added players this offseason to beat Seattle. For the most part they have. But B.Lloyd is not fast, not physical and takes alot of plays off. That won’t help against the best secondary in the league.

    1. Prime, you might be right but you may want to check his game against the Seahawks. just saying…

      1. So are you saying he is the Seattle killer? The one guy who can open up other guys? Exploit the legion of boom?
        I doubt it.

            1. Prime – Are you really that concerned about our #4 receiver, or #5 receiver option if you put Vernon ahead of him (which you should)?

              1. I am concerned about him altogether because if he ends up playing alot of snaps I don’t think he can win alot of matchups.
                If indeed he is a #4 WR, will he sulk and be a cancer like he has been years past?

              2. Valid question but in the past (Braylon/Jacobs) the Niners have shown that it is the quickest way out the door and if you are the 5th receiving option (Clearly Crab, Boldin, Stevie, and Vernon are the top 4) then its of minimal impact. Personally I would like to see his touches go to Ellington and Patton, but its nothing against Lloyd.

    2. In response to Prime Time, Brandon Lloyd gave the Hawks DBs fits when the Patriots played the Hawks in Seattle in 2012. He had very good yardage (6 catches, 80 yards) and burned both Browner and Sherman at different times due to his quickness and evading the jam.

      Stevie Johnson fared even better against the Hawks in Toronto in 2012. He went for 8 catches, 115 yards, and scored a TD on Sherman. He made Sherman look silly trying to cover him.

      There is a reason Baalke signed Lloyd and Johnson. He wants guys who can beat the physical press tendencies of the Hawks, and to a lesser extent, the Cards and Rams.

      1. I totally agree with that assessment.
        .
        But how often are either of those guys going to get on the field.
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        I’m sure we’ll see more 3 WR sets this year–but 4-wide?
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        I’m not so sure they plan to take Vernon out very often.
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        Or do you think those two will be roll players who just sub in?
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        *ALOHA*

        1. Just trippin’ here:
          I’m wondering if part of the plan is to run players in and out with all different sets 11, 12, 21, 22, 4wide. Get the D on their heals, and your GamePlan identifies some favorable matchups. Now, thats within the context of running the ball. So, like pound the rock and then give ’em a wtf formation to mess ’em up. You can still run a play appropriate to the down+distance and game moment and defensive alignment. This idea requires an ability to handle the blitz. That is, be able to threaten the defense into being wary about blitzing. CK showed some progress in that regard last year but needs to continue his development. The Rams, Seatards, Cards, Saints, Packers, Eagles, Packers, Bears, Lions, Falcons, & Panthers all can’t wait to bring the heat and test CK. He needs to make ’em pay!

          1. Bro Tuna

            I’m hopeful that this is a sea-change in that I think that we all painfully remember when opposing DB ‘s were calling out our plays before we ran them. Watch how ‘Chip’ Kelly operates his Offense…almost never gets a “too much time” penalty because even after his reads and corrections, the QB still still has 5 seconds to call the snap.JH second guesses too much. Having a set of plays mapped out and the fresh personnel moving onto the field at the previous whistle allows for this. Getting up to the line quickly also catches opponents off guard and forces mistakes and penalties and unnecessary time-outs . LLoyd and Johnson can provide that 5-10 times a game. Quick hitters and no-huddle should be dynamite with this crop of receivers. Get opponents on their heels….

          2. Ah, but reviewing my thoughts in the light of day, I may have been trippin’ to think GRo will become Chip Kelly!
            I did get a glimmer of hope though when in the spring Greg said they were looking to ‘clean the garage’ in terms of their Playbook and tendencies. At least now they have more arrows in the quiver.

        2. Brotha hit on it. The 49ers have typically used guys in specific packages, ie, Randy Moss was the guy who usually went in with their 22 personnel. I would expect to see that continue.

          1. If they end up with two receivers ( Johnson/Lloyd) who give the Seattle db trouble why not replace Davis with a wr, since Davis has had little success against the Hawks. It would be ridiculous not too. Or just replace Boldin who also does not fare well against them because they tend to negate his strength. They seem to have trouble with quick receivers who they have trouble getting a hold of.

    1. I think we’ll be seeing more of that in the next two years.
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      Good stuff AB!
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      What a team player!
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      *ALOHA*

    1. Spurs/Raiders same/same color scheme.
      I’d like to see LA Jags and move the Rams to AFC South.

      1. Per KNTV (SJ) Mark Davis was in San Antone for an event and sat down with civic leaders while he was in town. Not much else known.

        1. London Jaguars really fits.
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          It’d be the Jag-yoo-ar’s”, yes?
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          *ALOHA*

  4. London Lions would be more appropriate. The Lion is the symbol for Great Britain. Although the Empire is not that great anymore.

  5. I just watched the interview….I forgot how weird was during interviews. A lot of awkward moments

  6. Yeah sometimes i do felt am aadrwwkness on the elevator i don’t know why but as i observed when people used to be in the elevator they used to keep silent. What i usually do when i feel awkward is to look at the floor.[]

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