The defensive backfield was a popular topic of discussion following 49ers practice on Saturday, starting with what defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans said about the progress of a number of players.
Ryans was among those to speak to reporters after practice on Saturday, along with cornerback Emmanuel Moseley, safety Tavon Wilson, and offensive lineman Trent Williams. One of the first players Ryans talked about was cornerback Jason Verrett, who is solidifying himself as a veteran leader among the 49ers' secondary.
"JV has done a great job of being consistent," Ryans said.
At age 30, Verrett is coming off a bounceback season after nearly deciding to walk away from football due to injuries. Verrett is in a place now where he doesn't have to worry about his health, and he's continuing to trend upward as a result. Along the way, he's showing younger players like rookie cornerbacks Ambry Thomas and Deommodore Lenoir how to get the job done at the NFL level.
"One thing I always highlight to the guys -- it feels like every meeting I have with the defensive group, I'm highlighting JV and just showing his consistency and showing the young guys how it looks to be a true pro," Ryans said. "And JV is that example for the guys in our room. He brings it every day. He competes every day. And his work ethic is just unmatched. So I'm happy to have him. I'm happy to have him in a really good place where he's not worried about the history of the injuries or anything like that. He's playing confident. He's playing fast. He's playing physical. And that's exactly like to see."
Moseley also raved about Verrett during his media session, saying he's been impressive on and off the field.
"What I think with JV, it starts mental. His mindset is unmatched," Moseley said. "What he brings in the film room -- he points out things that you don't even see. So I take that away from him. On the field he's just a dog. He's got the greatest feet ever, I must say. So I learned a lot from him and I'm going to continue to learn from him."
Ryans also spoke briefly about the third-round pick Thomas and the fifth-round pick Lenoir. It remains to be seen where the two of them fit into the cornerback picture this season, but Ryans said there isn't much that should be read into who they line up with in training camp.
"A lot of that goes into who's available throughout practice," Ryans said. "I don't put much rank into training camp because we're always rolling and rotating guys, whether it's with the ones, twos or threes. To me, it's not a big deal. You just want to go out, see a guy perform the technique that we're asking him to do and do it at a consistent level. So whether you're with the ones, twos or threes, it doesn't matter. Just how are you performing each and every day? Lenoir, he's getting better. Ambry's getting better. They still have to keep working just like everyone else to pick up the consistency."
Finally, Ryans gave a positive review to Marcell Harris, who may well be on his way to finding a home outside of the secondary. Harris has been getting a look at linebacker in training camp after opening his NFL career as a safety, and so far Ryans likes what he sees.
"Marcell's done a good job at linebacker," Ryans said. "He's still learning. He's done a good job the past couple days, seeing him making some plays, some things we ask our linebacker to do. Marcell is picking up on it really well. So I'm happy with where he is and he's just progressing forward."
A good performance from Harris at linebacker in the weeks ahead will certainly improve his chances of making the 53-man roster, given the fact he'd be able to help the 49ers at more than one position. But Ryans just likes Harris' ability to make plays, no matter where he winds up.
"Marcell's a playmaker. He shows up a lot more when he's close to the line of scrimmage," Ryans said. "So, I just love his speed, his physicality and his instincts. For him, being closer to the ball, I think he has it in him to go out and be a really good player. Getting as many reps as possible (is important) for him to feel more comfortable there."
