Chip Kelly on Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner: Minicamp more about assignment alignment
How do San Francisco 49ers defensive ends
Arik Armstead and rookie
DeForest Buckner look to head coach Chip Kelly? He spoke on the topic prior to the team's practice on Wednesday.
"They've done a really nice job, but it's very difficult to evaluate either lines because we don't have pads on," said Kelly. "There has to be a collaboration between them, because it doesn't help if they are throwing guys into other people. Now there's a pile up or guys are on the ground. We want to stay up."
Kelly continued by saying, "[This part of the offseason is] really assignment alignment. Are they in the right spots? Are they doing the right things?"
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Armstead and Buckner look to be the team's future bookends along the defensive line. Both were drafted out of Oregon, which was Kelly's last college job as a head coach, in consecutive years. The 49ers could use a lift in the pass rush department. Last year, the team managed just 28 sacks ranking 29th in the league.
"I think both DeForest and Arik have done a really nice job. They are obviously very comfortable with [defensive line coach] Jerry [Azzinaro]. Azz has coached them, so they have an understanding of how he works and what he's trying to do. Anything that we have here that was different than when they were in Oregon, and there's a lot, because we've got a lot of other pieces to it, Azz can bridge that gap."
The 49ers close out their mandatory three-day minicamp on Thursday. It will be the final gathering of the players until training camp kicks off in July.
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49ers cancel final week of OTAs, move up minicamp dates
The San Francisco 49ers announced today that they are canceling the third and final week of organized team activities (OTAs) and moving up their mandatory minicamp to next week.
The team's mandatory minicamp was initially scheduled to begin on June 13 and run through June 15. It will now begin on June 6, with practices at 10:40 a.m. PT on Tuesday and 10:50 a.m. PT on Wednesday. Both sessions will be open to the media.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan and select players are scheduled to speak with reporters on Tuesday, and defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and players will field questions from the media on Wednesday.
Initially scheduled to be a three-day minicamp, the 49ers will likely give players the third day off from practice, as they have done in
49ers to work out XFL QB during minicamp
According to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston, the San Francisco 49ers plan to work out an XFL quarterback on Wednesday during the second day of the team's mandatory minicamp. That player is Jack Coan of the San Antonio Brahmas.
The Indianapolis Colts signed Coan as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame in 2022. He was waived ahead of the regular season. The Brahmas signed the quarterback following the XFL Draft on November 17, 2022.
#49ers are working out veteran quarterback Jack Coan
Day 1: Quick notes from 49ers minicamp practice
The San Francisco 49ers started their two-day mandatory minicamp, holding the first practice on Tuesday. Reporters were allowed to observe the session, and there were several noteworthy takeaways.
QB competition? Not yet
Trey Lance and Sam Darnold are rotating first-team reps during practices. Tuesday was Darnold's turn. Wednesday will be Lance's opportunity.
First practice of minicamp is in the books. In 11-11s, I had …First-team QB Sam Darnold 4-7Second-team QB Trey Lance 6-9Third-team QB Brandon Allen 4-4— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows)
