SANTA CLARA – Enormous. Colossal. Mountainous. Brobdingnagian.
There are an endless number of words that describe how 6 foot 8, 355-pound Trent Brown stands out even among a group of unusually large men like the 49ers offensive line.
But nobody could have guessed the three words offensive line coach Pat Flaherty blurted out in practice that would become the right tackle’s nickname: Big Soup Bone.
It’s unusual, for sure, but the linemen have fun with it. At least one of them foresees a time when Brown is called three other words: greatest lineman ever.
“I don’t throw this around lightly, he can be as good as anyone in the NFL that’s ever been,” left tackle Joe Staley said from in front of his locker this week.