How do San Francisco 49ers defensive ends Arik Armstead and rookie DeForest Buckner look to head coach Chip Kelly? He spoke on the topic prior to the team's practice on Wednesday.
"They've done a really nice job, but it's very difficult to evaluate either lines because we don't have pads on," said Kelly. "There has to be a collaboration between them, because it doesn't help if they are throwing guys into other people. Now there's a pile up or guys are on the ground. We want to stay up."
Kelly continued by saying, "[This part of the offseason is] really assignment alignment. Are they in the right spots? Are they doing the right things?"
Armstead and Buckner look to be the team's future bookends along the defensive line. Both were drafted out of Oregon, which was Kelly's last college job as a head coach, in consecutive years. The 49ers could use a lift in the pass rush department. Last year, the team managed just 28 sacks ranking 29th in the league.
"I think both DeForest and Arik have done a really nice job. They are obviously very comfortable with [defensive line coach] Jerry [Azzinaro]. Azz has coached them, so they have an understanding of how he works and what he's trying to do. Anything that we have here that was different than when they were in Oregon, and there's a lot, because we've got a lot of other pieces to it, Azz can bridge that gap."
The 49ers close out their mandatory three-day minicamp on Thursday. It will be the final gathering of the players until training camp kicks off in July.
49ers Rookie Minicamp Notebook: Video highlights, rookie quotes and more
By Kirk Larrabee
May 10
Around 40 players were at 49ers facilities in Santa Clara on Friday as the team held its annual rookie minicamp, which featured the team's 2024 draft class along with a crop of tryouts and undrafted signings.
Reporters were allowed to watch minicamp and met afterward with offensive lineman and third-round draft pick Dominick Puni, wide receiver and fourth-round draft pick Jacob Cowing, and linebacker and seventh-round draft pick Tatum Bethune. Here's a wrap-up of the highlights and observations posted by reporters to social media, along with some quotes of note to come from the three rookies after practice.
All eyes on Pearsall
The main attraction on Friday was wide receiver and first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall, who drew some praise for his
49ers waive defensive lineman ahead of rookie minicamp
By Site Staff
May 8
The San Francisco 49ers announced that they have waived defensive lineman Spencer Waege.
Waege (6-5, 295) initially joined the team as an undrafted free agent on May 2, 2023. He was waived by the team on August 27, 2023. However, he re-signed with the team's practice squad on November 15, 2023, where he remained for the remainder of the season.
A 25-year-old native of South Shore, South Dakota, Waege attended North Dakota State University for six years (2017-22), appearing in 57 games with 29 starts. He registered 138 tackles, 42 tackles for a loss, 20.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, four passes defensed, and one fumble recovery during his collegiate career. He finished his college tenure as a two-time FCS All-American
49ers announce minicamp tryouts along with signings of six draft picks, eight undrafted free agents
By Kirk Larrabee
May 10
The San Francisco 49ers officially announced the signings of six of their eight draft picks on Friday along with a group of eight undrafted free agents.
Offensive lineman and third-round pick Dominick Puni (Kansas), safety and fourth-round pick Malik Mustapha (Wake Forest), and linebacker and seventh-round pick Tatum Bethune (Florida State) were announced by the team to have signed their rookie contracts, one day after cornerback and second-round pick Renardo Green (Florida State), running back and fourth-round pick Isaac Guerendo (Louisville), and wide receiver and fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing (Arizona) were reported to have signed theirs. Wide receiver and first-round pick Ricky Pearsall (Florida) and offensive lineman and sixth-round pick Jarrett Kingston (USC) are the
49ers coordinator Nick Sorensen previews his defense, discusses Brandon Staley's role and more
By Kirk Larrabee
May 10
New 49ers defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen may not have all the answers yet in regards to how his defense will perform in the upcoming season, but it sounds like his approach will remain largely similar to what the team has done in the past under head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Sorensen held his first media session as 49ers defensive coordinator before the team's rookie minicamp on Friday and provided a glimpse on how he wants his defense to look once they take the field in September. The plan is to show the NFL that the 49ers haven't changed much in terms of intensity and flying to the ball.
"I want them to see we're still the standard of what we've always been -- an attacking defense that plays fast," Sorensen said. "We play violent. We play with speed, and we
