San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan addressed reporters following the team's first practice of mandatory minicamp. Here's everything he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Did you feel like the offense was struggling a little out there today? I know it's a mini-camp, but what did you feel about the offensive performance?
"I thought it was good. I didn't get that same feeling, but I thought it was a good practice and thought all three phases did a solid job."
As far as training camp and who's going to be still recovering when training camp begins, is it S Malik Mustapha, WR Brandon Aiyuk, QB Kurtis Rourke and LB Curtis Robinson as the ones who are unlikely to begin? Anyone else on that list?
"Sounds close. I definitely didn't ask about the first day of training camp today. So I'm not sure, but that's a pretty good guess. Those all sound accurate."
That's a long way of asking me if any of the absentees for these camps might spill into late July?
"Some could, like ones you mentioned. I don't know all the others, but we'll do that evaluation first day we get back from training camp. I think most of these guys are good. Just to help you guys with that, let me see my injuries. [S] Ji'Ayir Brown had ankle cleanup surgery, we're expecting him back by training camp, [WR] Ricky Pearsall had a hamstring, nothing serious. He is really pretty good now. We're just being safe, so he'll be good by training camp. [DL] Alfred Collins his calf, that happened before the Draft. Pretty good now. Being smart with him. He should be good by training camp, [OL] Andre Dillard had his ankle scoped. He'll be good by training camp. [WR] Jauan Jennings calf, nothing serious, training camp. [S] George Odum his knee, just still rehabbing from the season. He should be good for training camp. [DL] Yetur Gross-Matos, just some old knee wear and tear. We're just being smart with him. He'll be fine by training camp. [WR] Trent Taylor had his back. He went on IR, so he won't. [DL] Mykel Williams just a tight hamstring. We're just being smart. Could go this week, but we'll just hold him for training camp. Aiyuk, Mustapha and Curtis still dealing with their ACLs."
Brandon Aiyuk was out there for the first time that I saw so far since you guys have been back. Just interested to know what have conversation been like between you and Brandon? How's he feeling after coming back from the ACL surgery as he is making his way back?
"He is making his way back. He's still in the middle of it, so he's working through that. He's been around, he's been rehabbing for the most part, but he's been out to some practices. It was good to have him out today."
How has T Trent Williams looked in the limited time he's been out here and just how vital is it to manage his workload so he can make it through a season healthy?
"I think it's vital, just the same as it always is. When you get injuries, you get injuries, but with guys with age and the wear and tear and stuff, we just try to keep their legs fresher and stuff. And it's been good to get him here in two weeks of individual drills and things like that. I'll be shocked if we put him out there tomorrow. I don't expect to see him except for maybe individual. He'll be good to go for camp."
Does he look lighter? He looks lighter maybe.
"I haven't checked him out as hard as you have, but what do you mean by that [laughter]? I think he looks good though. He looks in shape and he's been in shape in his drills. He's gotten through them all. He's healthy and right where he needs to be."
Do you have like big-picture talks with Trent, like how much longer do you want to play? Do you need to know that just the way you build your roster?
"No, I don't think I need to know that, or we need to know that right now. It's stuff I talk to Trent about, not all the time, but every once in a while. But you take everything year by year."
What do you like about DL Bryce Huff and what does he add to the defense?
"I just like Bryce. I think he affects the quarterback. When you talk about just getting off the ball and how fast he does it. He will be our best get off the ball guy we've had since [former DL] Dee Ford. So in terms of that, it's good to beat tackles that way, but also widens tackles to help with the inside pass rush and things like that and he affects the quarterback."
What's been your impression of K Jake Moody? He's got the new sort of like windup where he sort of torques his leg. What's your impression of that?
"The field goal's been going between the two uprights. I've liked it so far. Been good."
Going back to Bryce Huff, he had a more challenging season last year, but defensive line coach Kris Kocurek talked about he still thought he had some good film out there. What did you see from him last year and why was it so challenging for him?
"I don't think, he didn't play that much. I think he sat for a number of games. I just think the player didn't change. He just didn't fit as well in their scheme, and just what they do schematically and stuff. I think they wanted to go a different direction with stuff, their outside guys drop into coverage and things like that, being the three-four base and that's something we really never do. So it's a little bit different. But as far as just watching him on tape and stuff, he always kind of looked the same. I just don't think the opportunities were there for him."
When it comes to defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, there was a play out there where Robert got all out and in the middle of everything, excited for his guys because they made a play. Do you see a difference in the aura of the defense with Robert Saleh back out there with the guys?
"I think the guys, I'm guessing like three guys, maybe four who were here when he was here last. And so, I think those guys have a lot of confidence in him and remember his time here and they probably express that confidence they have in him to the other guys. But yeah, our energy's been great throughout the whole team, through the defense, definitely. Saleh's been great too."
What have you seen from WR Jacob Cowing and how he's come back these practices?
"Jacob, I thought put in some of the most work that anyone did over the offseason. Just as far as doing it before Phase One started and then continuing it through One, Two, and Three. And I think it's really transferred over into those OTA practices."
Is WR Jordan Watkins doing well for a rookie?
"Yeah, I think Jordan's doing solid. He's had some good days, some bad, but normal."
Is this the most speed you've had with your weapons and are you excited about what that potentially could lead to this year?
"No, I don't think it is, but I'm excited about our weapons. You talk about 40 times and stuff there's been some groups that have been maybe faster, but it doesn't equate to better."
You guys reportedly had a visit with WR Gabe Davis. Is that an indication that you could have interest in a veteran wide receiver at some point down the road? Are you at least monitoring the market?
"I think it's how we handle every situation, we monitor everything. So, I think Gabe's visited a few teams. He's a guy we've been a fan of in the past and he wanted to visit a few teams and talk to them about mutual interest and we had a good visit. But that's stuff we really never stop doing."
What does assistant head coach/defense Gus Bradley bring to the mix?
"Gus, I have as much respect for as any coach I've been around, going against him a ton, how good he has been. I just feel very fortunate to get him here. Saleh's been with him for a long time. They have different personalities, but they're from very similar backgrounds, so I think it's really cool for Saleh to have him to bounce ideas off of and kind of to challenge him in certain ways. Gus also brings a certain wisdom just as far as teaching how he communicates with people. He's always trying to help guys out around the building and I think he's been one of our huge additions this offseason."
Is there appeal for you for bringing in coaches whose fathers also had football backgrounds? Think about you and the Kubiaks and former quarterbacks coach Brian Griese was here and now quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi who he used to race to answer the phone and hear former Las Vegas Raiders owner, general manager and coach Al Davis on the other end of the line, and guys that have been football guys probably since their dad's worked practice. Is there something to that?
"Yeah, I think I haven't been in any other line of works and I kind of find that people who've grown up around a certain profession have kind of been paying attention to it since they can remember, three-years old. It's not absolute by any means in any situation, but I feel those guys sometimes have an 18-year head start over other people, whether they realize it or not. I always wanted to be a player my whole life, didn't admit to myself that I wanted to be a coach until probably college once I started learning that I wasn't a good enough player. But you don't realize until you get into coaching how much you've been working on it. I just think of every dinner I've had growing up and just sitting with my mom and my sister and my dad and always halfway through probably every meal I've had since fifth grade, my sister and mom are eventually annoyed with my free agent questions, my Draft questions, 40 questions, like all types of stuff like that. And I think people are like that always, not always, but a lot with their dad and if you're like that whatever line of work you go into you have a little bit of a head start and that gives you an advantage, but you've got to take advantage of that too."
Another Trent question. You've mentioned it's a younger team, a lot of different people on it. How important is he, an older guy, obviously all the All Pro's and all the things he's got just his presence, his vibe, how important is he now even with a younger team?
"I think it's big. I think sometimes that stuff can be underrated and also overrated, but everyone knows who Trent is, just the career he's had being one of the best tackles to play the game. So when you are a name that people have grown up watching, they want to see how you are in the building. I think it's always different when you're a 36-year-old and the position he plays, he's not someone that you're going to ever recommend a 22-year-old or something act that exact same way and go through that same path. Trent's in a different time in his career than everyone else. But I love Trent being around so people can see how much he does care about football, how much he does work at football. You know that by how he plays, but it's cool at his age and where he is at in his career for people to still see what he has to do to get ready. He has to do it for himself more than anything, but anytime you have the kind of credibility that someone like Trent has earned, anytime someone gets to watch him do that and watch what he puts into it will always help other people."
When did your dad start listening to your suggestions?
"He pretended he always did at least most of the dinner until I would disagree with him and eventually I'd get annoying, which is happening with me and my son every night right now and my daughters too and my wife [laughter]. But probably more when I got in college and there's a couple things that came up and you start to realize there's some different perspectives and people look at it all the time and I think he would actually enjoy it and call you a week later and be like, 'Hey, you were so adamant about all 30 of those things, actually one of them you were right on. So maybe I should listen a little more sometimes.'"
When QB Mac Jones was in here last week, he was talking about having to relearn to trust what he sees and cut it loose. When you have a guy like that who had some early success and then didn't have success and has to kind of regain confidence, how do you go about rebuilding that with a guy like him?
"Trying to get them to trust what they do and let it rip. That's all I want in practice. You go through all these practices and you never throw a pick, you're probably not getting better. I think that's one of the biggest challenges having you guys around, no offense to you guys, but they used to not report people's stats every day and say who's ahead, who's back, who's whatever. You could just practice. And when guys play to practice that way they don't get better at anything, and especially a quarterback. I mean, it's hard when you get in that stadium and things like that. Not only are you getting hit for the first time, but now all that stuff counts and if you don't let it rip and go through all that in practice, you're not going to get any better in the games and then it's usually a matter of time before someone passes you up."
How important is this time between now and camp for both your players and coaches? What have you said to them about how you want them to spend that time?
"I mean, the biggest part is the work we've put in already. The work we've put in since April, whatever, since Phase One, I've been extremely proud of the guys and what they've done. You put all that work in and now we've got these two practices left and now it's one, really, and I almost want to cancel the whole week. But there's 20 guys out there who still really need this week and then there's 60 guys who they're just trying to get through this and let's not get them injured. And that's kind of our biggest goal with everything. Everyone's put in the work. There's some younger guys who still need more reps. But it's knowing what you've done. Now get away from us for about 40 days. Some guys can stay here. We have the weight room open, we have all that stuff, but get away, assess what's gone on, work to improve that stuff so when you come back to really compete in training camp, you've put in the work and now you've found a way to take a step forward. Like, I always remember you go back to spring football or anything and it doesn't matter whether it's good or bad, you put in all that work and then you need a certain amount of time to get away so you can find a way to get an edge on people you're competing against and that's that time for these guys."
Vice President of Football Operations/General Manager John Lynch talked about RB Christian McCaffrey and how impressed he's been with him. Obviously, Christian's such a consistent guy with his approach and everything, but is there anything that maybe has stood out to you that you've seen from Christian so far?
"If I said it, I'd be making up because Christian is, I mean, he is a psycho in a good way and so like he does everything imaginable every single day. Last year he couldn't because he was battling injury all last year. And this year he is healthy so he is right back to being who he is always been and it's really fun to watch."