San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh spoke to reporters on Thursday, after the team's second practice of training camp. Here is everything he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
Any rookies jump out to you the first few days?
"Yeah, I think all of them are doing a really good job trying to absorb the playbook. You know, it's different than when we first got here way back in '17 or even '19, you know, rookies got a little bit more, the league's evolved, the defense has evolved. So, it's a little bit more on their plate than what, what it's been in the past. But I think they're all doing a great job absorbing it all."
How has LB Fred Warner developed over the last few years since you last saw him? What does he mean for what you have ahead of you this year?
"I mean, he's still young. What is he, 28? You know, so he's still young. He's already a hall of famer in my mind. He's one of the best, if not the best linebacker in our current generation. So, every day he brings it, it feels like he's still a kid, doesn't get old. He's still the one out there chirping and yelling and screaming and getting everybody pumped up. So, he hasn't changed in that regard. The game hasn't jaded him, if that makes sense. But he's still flying around, and his expectation of his teammates is, and, and the bar he sets for those guys as high. So, he's always, always a coach's dream."
Last year, Week One, you were preparing your defense to face off against RB Christian McCaffrey. Obviously, he didn't play in that game, but one year later it's the same guy, you are watching on tape at that point. How much of a challenge is it to prepare your defense now every day?
"Yeah. You try not to, at least in this stage where we're just scripting, you try not to game plan guys. When we start doing move the ball stuff and actually having to work, we'll start calling calls to try to do our best to take him away. But he's such an asset to the offense and the things that they can do with him because he's already one of the best running backs in football, and he is a damn good receiver too. So, he is a problem, and always somebody that you have to pay attention to."
President of Football Operations/General Manager John Lynch recently said the team us bracing to take its lumps while the young guys sort few things out. Is that your expectation throughout as well?
"Yeah, you know, with youth, the challenge is that a veteran never makes mistakes, but sometimes they might be a step slow. They're not running that 40 time that they ran back in the combine, right? Where a rookie is going to make a lot of mistakes, but he's flat fast, and explosive. So, the trick is, how quickly can you get that football player to play like a veteran while he's still connected to his 40 time that he ran back at the combine, right? So that youthful energy, that youthful explosiveness. So yeah, with youth comes lumps because they're learning. I look at all of you as first-time journalists. You guys weren't all great coming out. I mean, there's a lot of learning that you went through, and you guys got better as time went on, and here you guys are. And it's the same thing for a rookie in professional football, especially with what offenses are doing now and how complex they've gotten. They don't just stand there and make it easy for us. They're motioning, they're moving, they're jetting, they're doing all kinds of stuff pre-snap. So there are going to be some moments where it's like, oh God. But, you prick your finger, you fight through it, you get them to a point where they see it over and over and over again, and your hope is that that youthful explosiveness comes out as they continue to gain experience."
Do you have to simplify things at all?
"For sure, we do. Our system's already pretty simple as compared to most defenses in this league, but the whole ticket is to put them on repeat. And you know, fear not the man who has 10,000 kicks that he practices one time each, fear the man who has one kick that he practices 10,000 times. That's what we're trying to get these guys to understand what techniques they have and then try to rep it as many times as possible."
When training camp was conducted and planned here, has it changed at all since you were here last? Or is it pretty much the same thing in terms of the way it's planned?
"There's definitely been some changes. I think Kyle's done a great job evolving with sports science and trying to take care of these guys while also pushing the envelope to get them ready for the first week of the season. And I think with the exception of last year, they've done a really good job staying healthy and getting themselves through the football season as one of the healthier teams involved. But yeah, I think they've done a really nice job evolving with times."
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said it could be six or eight guys starting on the defensive side of the ball that are rookies. What are your realistic expectations of how this defense can grow compared to how you think you guys start?
"No for sure. First off, to piggyback off Kyle, the best 11 are going to play, and it is realistic that eight of those 11 or six of those 11 could be rookies or even eight new starters. And that's both awesome if they earn it and it's going to be exciting just all the way around. Anytime you have that much turnover and that much change, there's going to be a process getting to know one another. And again, just understanding the system and how you play together at a high level. Whether they're veterans or young, the expectation is that you get better throughout the course of the year regardless. Whether you're a 10-year vet or a young rookie taking his first snap, you go to bed better than when you woke up every day of life. And that's the expectation, regardless of how old we are, it is to get better."
How do you see the safety spot shaking up?
"It's wide open. JP [S Jason] Pinnock coming in, [S] Richie Grant, [S Marques] Sigle being a rookie. Obviously [S] Ji'Ayir [Brown], [S Malik] Mustapha and then there's some young guys back there that are fresh with [S Jaylen] Mahoney and [CB Derek] Canteen and [CB Siran] Neal. I'm sure I'm forgetting somebody, but it is a wide-open competition at safety, at both spots."
There's been changes in the defense but there's some expectations from the fanbase that they know it's going to be fine because Saleh is back. Is there pressure that comes from that or is there pride?
"No, for sure. It's appreciated. The coaching profession is constant pressure. If you're asking me about stress and worrying about things I have no control over, I don't. Just like every other coach in professional football, we walk through the doors, we're going to give our full attention to the player to do everything we can to put them in the best positions possible. We trust that that position's going to be pretty good. But no, I always feel pressure to and just like every coach, every player we feel pressure to produce and to be the best in football and to be at the top of our game. And you hope things fall your way, but as far as trying to make stuff up to make things happen, that's kind of when you get in trouble."
DL Nick Bosa said yesterday, he's taken it on himself that he has to be more vocal. You were with him when he was that young guy trying to find his voice. How important is it to have those guys in that room that can help you operate those guys?
"For sure. A guy like Bosa, he doesn't really need to talk. If I'm a young rookie walking into a building and I want to know what it's supposed to look like day in and day out to prepare myself, to prepare my mind, my body to be one of the best players in football, I just go watch him. Watch how he prepares, watch how he takes care of his body, watch how he regens, works out, rehabs, whatever he's doing. It is pedal to the metal and he's rolling. He doesn't have to say a word. For the most part, I see better than I hear anyway. And he's the ultimate leader in that regard. Now if he knows something, is it good to share? Of course, it is. He's super talented and he has unbelievable things that he can share with his teammates, and I think he's done a great job doing that. But as far as being a super vocal guy, he never has to be, he's already vocal. He already speaks louder than most people in this league, just by the way he shows up every day and works."
I know it's early and no pads, but what do you see from CB Upton Stout?
"He's done a great job with it. He's a cool little player and I'm excited for him to get pads on. Again, with all these rookies and all these new guys, I'm trying to reserve true judgment until we get pads on, it's easy to go in there when you know you're not going to get blown up. It's been pretty impressive with what he's been able to handle through OTAs and the first couple days here."
Fred seemed really excited about LB Dee Winters. Where is he at? I haven't worked with him this first couple years, but how would you feel that he's progressing?
"He's got a cool chance. I know that he's been battling injury and that's kind of hampered his development a little bit. He's also had to sit behind [LB] Dre [Greenlaw] and then [LB] De'Vondre [Campbell Sr.] came in and he had to sit behind him because he was nursing an injury. And so again just like any young guy, the only way they're going to get better is with reps. And so young guys like Dee, their growth can get stunted when they're sitting on the bench just watching. There's nothing like doing. And so he had an opportunity the last half of last year to get some reps in and it just feels like every day he's learning something again, just through repetition. So, knock on wood, hopefully he can continue to stay healthy and absorb every single one of these reps and learn all the nuance that's required to play linebacker. I think if he does, he's going to be a fun player to watch."