Random thoughts from a Sunday without NFL football

Football season isn’t quite over, but the down week between the conference championships and the Super Bowl became over more down with the cancellation of the Pro Bowl. Or rather, a virtually adapted version of the Pro Bowl.

Nevertheless, it’s the first Sunday since early September that hasn’t been heavily occupied by football, which left me some time to do a little thinking about the 49ers, other football stuff and some non-football stuff.

Here’s some random stream-of-consciousness from Sunday:

Deshaun Watson trade haul will be hilarious

Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Texans, understandably, don't seem super interested in trading Watson. He has a no-trade clause that could prevent his market from inflating too high, but he appears eager to leave which may cause him to expand his list of desired destinations to the point the bidding war becomes borderline insane. Consider Matthew Stafford went for two future firsts, a third and a starting quarterback. Seahawks safety Jamal Adams fetched two first-round picks and a player in a trade. Bears defensive end Khalil Mack two firsts, a third and a sixth. Watson, a 24-year-old budding superstar at QB is going to get something that probably winds up mirroring a combination of those other mega-trades. The sheer volume on the return could reach comical levels, and I can't wait to see the graphic that displays what Houston got on one side, then just Watson for the other team.

49ers need to bring back the 1994 uniforms

(Photo by George Rose/Getty Images)

I know they brought back the all white uniforms, which were a throwback set from 1994, but the red top needs to make a return as well. Super Bowl XXIX highlights were all over Twitter on Jan. 29, the 26th anniversary of the 49ers' blowout of the Chargers, and the red tops that year were out of control. They should bring back those full uniforms for at least one season, and maybe more.

Wandavision is good

(Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for Disney)

My entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a few years late. Nevertheless, it's become a staple of my content diet. Wandavision is excellent and I won't risk any spoilers, but the people complaining about pacing or whatever need to relax. It's done a fine job while staying confined to just 30-minute episodes, and the anticipation for the fifth episode release began immediately after Episode 4 ended. And now, a Wandavision joke: https://twitter.com/KyleAMadson/status/1355358811989495809

Once-a-week streaming releases are great

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Sitting down and binging a show start-to-finish all at once is fine. The anticipation of a week-to-week release like Disney+ did with the Mandalorian and now Wandavision is a far superior way to consume new content. Getting to digest it little-by-little rather than trying to blow through it so you can live peacefully on the internet without needing to dodge spoilers until you have time to finish the show is great. We'll probably never see anything like the 'Game of Thrones' live TV phenomenon again, but once-weekly releases of new streaming shows will allow us to get close.

49ers should trade for Gardner Minshew

Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

I'm not certain the Jaguars will even make Minshew available, but if the 49ers are going to roll with Jimmy Garoppolo, they need to find a better backup than Nick Mullens or CJ Beathard. Minshew could probably be had for a fifth or sixth-round pick, and he'd offer an immediate upgrade behind Garoppolo without needing to either break the bank or unload premium draft capital.

The 1994 49ers covered a 19-point spread in the Super Bowl

(DOUG COLLIER/AFP/Getty Images)

I can't decide whether the spread or the fact they covered is the more insane part of this. Either way, it is a fact that "lives in my head and is not required to pay rent or provide any form of reimbursement for the living space," as the youths say.

RIP Dick Callahan

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland A's on Friday announced the death of long-time public address announcer Dick Callahan. His voice ringing through the Oakland Coliseum is a key factor in many memories of going to A's games growing up. I never met him, but everyone who did had nothing but wonderful things to say about him. The Coliseum won't quite be the same without him. "Fans – as you drive home tonight, please do so ... ssssssafely."

Not missing the Pro Bowl

Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

I've never been a big consumer of the Pro Bowl. I'd watch as much as my job (or sometimes boredom) required, but it wasn't must-see TV where I'd turn it on for kickoff. Twitter highlights made it even easier to ignore. The absence of an NFL all-star game didn't even move the needle this year, and it wouldn't probably be that bad of a thing if the game itself was cancelled forever and replaced with various skills challenges and things of that ilk.

The 49ers should draft Florida TE Kyle Pitts

Adam Hagy-USA TODAY Sports

Pitts was mocked to the 49ers by NFL Media's Daniel Jeremiah, and the version of their offense with a fluid 6-foot-6, 240-pound athlete cruising around wreaking havoc sounds like a lot of fun. This take will change, but for now it's all I can think about in regards to the draft.