Joe Staley is entering his 13th NFL season. But that doesn't mean the veteran tackle can't learn a few things from the new guy. After going head-to-head with Nick Bosa in practices, Staley can often be seen standing with the rookie defensive end on the sideline and working things out.
There is no doubt that Bosa is learning a great deal from Staley, who has taken on a lot of elite pass rushers during his time in the league. Staley, however, remains a student of the game and is soaking in knowledge from Bosa despite the lack of experience.
Reporters asked defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on Saturday if he is surprised to see Staley working things out and learning from the newcomer.
"I think, whether you're a veteran or a rookie, you should always be looking to get better," Saleh responded. "Joe Staley is one of the best tackles in football because he's always doing his homework. He's always trying to find ways to get better.
"If you just look at a rookie and say, 'He can't team me anything,' I mean, we can all learn anything from anybody […] You should always be looking for knowledge, and it doesn't matter who you're getting that knowledge from. If somebody has something important to share with you, you can always learn.
"It doesn't surprise me because Joe is where he is. He's been in the league this long, and he's had success for as long as he's had."
Saleh won't admit that Bosa, who has looked pretty good in recent practices, is a polished defender — for a rookie. General manager John Lynch, however, will and did so on Saturday during a conversation on NFL Network's "Inside Training Camp Live."
"He's a really good football player, and he's polished," Lynch said. "A lot of guys, even if you pick them at two, there's a getting-used-to period, but he's such a polished football player. He's giving them fits already.
"It's fun to see a guy like Joe Staley really take to him, and they've been working together. Joe's learning from him, he's learning from Joe, McGlinchey. It's making everybody better."
Bosa has taken part in five padded practices now, and onlookers can see improvement with each passing day.
"So far, he's been doing a good job, getting better every day," Saleh continued. "He is winning some one-on-ones. He's not winning all of them, which you don't expect, but he is getting better.
"His whole deal is to continue to get better, stay healthy, improve on his game, and keep adding to his skill set with regard to (the) pass rush. He's really good in the run game. He could get better, but he's progressing the right way."