San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh addressed the media ahead of Thursday's practice, and the focus immediately turned to the team's newest trade acquisition—former New England Patriots defensive end Keion White.
When asked why White may have fallen out of favor in New England, Saleh deflected, saying that's a question for the Patriots. The 49ers liked White's athletic potential and how he might strengthen the team's defensive line depth.
"Coming out (of college), elite athlete," Saleh said. "I mean, he's got great length, size, and speed. His short-area quickness, his ability to rush the passer on the inside, again, as another interior pass rusher, adding more depth to that.
"He kind of fits in that role we have, similar to [rookie DL] Mykel [Williams], outside, being able to kick inside to be more of a speedy rusher, active body. So, we're looking forward to getting him out there."
More reinforcements on the way?
The 49ers' defense has struggled with injuries this season. The loss of Nick Bosa (ACL) has made generating consistent pressure more difficult. Defensive players like Bryce Huff (hamstring) and Yetur Gross-Matos (knee, hamstring) have also missed time.
When asked if the 49ers might make additional moves to bolster the pass rush, Saleh welcomed reinforcements but emphasized the importance of evaluating White and welcoming back returning players.
"Huff will be back next week," Saleh said. "Yetur is back. Sam [Okuayinonu] has been providing some production for us, also. Alfred [Collins] has been surging. Mykel [Williams] is continuing to get better. Again, it's a young group that's continuing to evolve and get better.
"The adding part, that's more for [GM] John [Lynch] and [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan] to answer, but I'll never say no—if you're listening, John."
Saleh also emphasized the importance of creating favorable matchups for the defensive line, something the coaches were unable to accomplish on Sunday against the Houston Texans.
"Like I've said before, the ultimate goal of a coach, obviously, is always a free runner," Saleh added. "But the next best thing is a one-on-one with proper leverage. And so, we're going to do our best to put them in those leverages and see where it goes from there."