There has been significant buzz surrounding San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks' transition from the coaching box to the sidelines during games, which will begin on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Maybe too much buzz, if you ask the coach, which reporters did on Thursday.
"Guys, to me, just very candid, I think we're making a bigger deal out of it than it needs to be, to be honest," Wilks said during his weekly press conference. "But I just want to be able to communicate with the guys a little bit more during the game. Certain things that I'm seeing, I'd rather be able to talk to them directly than communicate [through] coaches."
On Friday morning, general manager John Lynch addressed the decision to have Wilks join his players and fellow coaches on the sidelines and its potential impact on the team moving forward.
"I think it's a positive thing," Lynch told Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher during an interview on Bay Area radio station KNBR. "First of all, it's what our players have been accustomed to. Robert Saleh (former 49ers defensive coordinator, now Jets head coach) was on the field. DeMeco Ryans (former 49ers defensive coordinator, now Texans head coach) was on the field.
"I think, when you bring a coach in, particularly a coach like Steve, who's done it for a long time, you kind of rely on him. Where are you most comfortable? And he was comfortable in both spots but ultimately felt like he could see it best from upstairs. But you play it through, and you assess it, and then, ultimately, it's not a reactionary thing. I think there's also a step where Steve was calling it to [linebackers coach] Johnny Holland. Johnny to [LB] Fred [Warner].
"Sometimes the calls may be a little later, and I think this takes a middleman out of that. It's just one more step that you eliminate."
Lynch reflected on his time as a player, recalling the positive impact of having defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin on the field. The former safety and his teammates benefitted from the communication that resulted from Kiffin's proximity to the players.
"The communication he (Wilks) can have with [defensive line coach] Kris Kocurek, Johnny Holland, [defensive backs coach] Daniel Bullocks, all the coaches, I think, is just better when you're down there in person. So it's a move Kyle made, and I believe it's a good one."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.