If you ask San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh — and reporters did this week — when new linebacker Kwon Alexander will be full-go for practice, he'll tell you training camp. Of course, Saleh acknowledges that the timetable is not entirely up to him.
"My understanding is training camp," Saleh told reporters when asked about Alexander. "But again, that would probably be a question for Kyle (Shanahan) and John (Lynch)."
Shanahan and Lynch, of course, will rely on information from the team's newly reorganized Health and Performance staff, which replaced the team's training and medical staffs this offseason.
Linebackers coach DeMeco Ryans is also under the impression that Alexander could be ready by training camp. The linebacker is rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered during Week 7 of last season while with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The injury occurred four weeks after quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's ACL injury and seven weeks after running back Jerick McKinnon's.
"I've seen him a couple of days ago jumping up and I said, 'Man, you're ready to go right now, aren't you?'" Ryans told Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area.
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Should Alexander be ready by late-July, that means the 49ers could have all three key players available in some capacity for the start of training camp or close to it.
"He will get enough reps in training camp where he will get familiar with the system," Ryans said. "He's ready to go now, you kind of have to slow him down. He gets too excited when guys make a play on the ball out there."
The 49ers hope Alexander can fill the void created by the departure of their former first-round draft pick, Reuben Foster. San Francisco signed the veteran linebacker to a four-year deal in March worth up to $54 million.
Alexander recorded 45 combined tackles, a sack, two passes defensed, and two forced fumbles through six games last year before suffering his season-ending injury in October.
