On Thursday, Bay Area reporters got their first chance to speak with the San Francisco 49ers' latest trade acquisition, former New England Patriots defensive end Keion White. When asked how he's adapting to his new team, White offered a simple analogy that captures his approach to the transition.
"I compare football to corporate America," White said. "Like, you just got a new job, and I'm going to another office where I'm learning the system."
The 49ers were impressed by White's performance last season when they faced the Patriots in Week 4. When asked what might have caught their attention, White speculated it could have been his ability to rush from the interior.
That perspective aligns with what 49ers general manager John Lynch said on Thursday morning during a radio interview.
"There's edge guys, and one of the roles we have is a big end," Lynch explained. "And that essentially means a guy who, in base downs, can play outside, and then he can slide and rush over guards. Basically, it means he has some versatility to his game, and we really like that. We've done well with that in the past.
"And so, it's a cool opportunity to add a very talented, versatile player that we've had our eye on for a while."
White also reflected on his time in New England, noting that it might not have been a perfect fit, but also acknowledging that he could have performed better.
"No knock to the guys over there (in New England)," White said. "They had a system and everything like that, where I was outside. I could have been better on the outside, rushing and everything like that, and just roll with what I could have done better."
Last season, White played 74% of defensive snaps, but that number dropped to 40% this year in New England.
Asked about the frustration of limited playing time, he said, "As a competitor, you always want to play as much as possible. If it was up to me, I'd be on the field all 80 snaps. So, it's always going to be frustrating not being out there, but you also got to understand everything fits inside the scheme. And so, I was just trying to play my role."
With the 49ers' defense dealing with injuries, White could see more opportunities in the trenches and may contribute as soon as this weekend against the New York Giants.
Is there added pressure for him to make an immediate impact?
"I'm not really too focused on what's expected for me," White admitted. "I'm just trying to do my job and just earn a role. Expectations really get you nowhere. You've got to earn everything."