Dashon Goldson on free agency

SANTA CLARA –

Dashon Goldon spoke to reporters after a post-practice weight-lifting session.

Here’s the complete transcript of that interview. He spoke candidly about free agency, his opportunity in New England, and his reasons for returning to the Niners.

Q: Why did you come back?
GOLDSON: I got a lot of advice but I knew all along I wanted to be here. This is home for me. This is where I want to be. Unfortunately it didn’t work out long-term but if I got an opportunity to be here I was going to take it. I had to follow my heart and that’s exactly what I did.

Q: With the signings of Williams and Whitner, what were your thoughts on that coming back?
GOLDSON: I didn’t think anything actually. I know you guys were probably following those Twitter comments. I was asked questions about that. They asked me what I thought about the moves or if the moves scared me and I really didn’t think that was the case. I just think they (the 49ers) were trying to add to the football team. They’ve got plans and they knew what they were looking for free agency-wise. That’s the thing. They moved on and got some guys in here.

Q: Were the 49ers in touch with you throughout the process?
GOLDSON: Oh definitely. I got reached out. Coach reached out to me. Trent (Baalke) reached out to me. I had a lot of contact with those guys. It was a matter of time before I got here.

Q: How difficult was free agency with the lockout in place?
GOLDSON: I think so. There were a lot of free agents out there. Probably about 400 or whatever it was. It was crazy. I’m glad I got back here and I got an opportunity to do it again next year.

Q: Was this whole process frustrating?
GOLDSON: Definitely. At the end of the day I’m a football player. I never thought I was going to see this side of the business. It is a business and I got a grasp of that a couple weeks ago.

Q: Did teams look at you as a starter in the NFL based on feedback from other teams?
GOLDSON: Every year you’ve got to prove yourself. They bring in talented guys every year. I was getting feedback from coaches that were interested. Fortunately they had their players and spent money to get that. But I had a lot of interest in me. Bill Belichick saw a lot in me and wanted me in and there was an opportunity there. But like I said, I had to follow my heart.

Q: Did the Raiders get a hold of you?
GOLDSON: They were going through my agent with all that. I didn’t talk to anyone specifically. They were going back and forth with my agent.

Q: Did you get an offer from the Patriots?
GOLDSON: I did have an offer from the Patriots.

Q: Why didn’t you sign with them?
GOLDSON: There was a lot of upside here (with the 49ers). This is home, like I said. I wanted to come back to the guys, this organization. This is an organization I look up to. A lot of guys were asking me what I was going to do. They said they wanted me back here and I knew that. It was tough. It worked out. I’m looking forward to moving on and having a good year.

Q: Did Harbaugh recruit you?
GOLDSON: Yeah. He reached out. Talked to him a couple times. Told him how much I wanted to be back.

Q: What do you think about the competition at safety?
GOLDSON: It’s a lot of good competition. That’s what you need to come out here and do. They’re not going to give it to you. You have to prove yourself week in and week out. It just raises the competition level.

 

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