placeholder image

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports


Jim O’Neil talks losing Lynch, Ward at corner, Reid playing nickel

Aug 1, 2016 at 10:38 AM--


Videos are auto-populated by an affiliate. This site has no control over the videos that appear above.
San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Jim O'Neil spoke with the media today prior to the team's second practice of training camp. He started off be complimenting the players' ability to retain information since mandatory minicamp in June. "I was really impressed with our players' ability to come back and retain all the information that they were able to in our first practice," said O'Neil. "We threw a lot at them in spring and we treated it like we were gone on a long weekend."

Coaches did player ranking


O'Neil said that the coaching staff ranked their players following the team's mandatory minicamp last month. How they ranked the guys was how they started training camp. The guys that they ranked first within their groups are the guys that are out there with the first-team defense. O'Neil later stated that, of course, that ranking will change as training camp progresses. The depth chart is "written in sand" according to the defensive coordinator.

Losing Aaron Lynch


O'Neil stated that losing edge rusher Aaron Lynch, who he called "a type of player that you build a defense around," was an opportunity for others to step up. "We're going to get the best 11 out there."

O'Neil went on to say that the 49ers can do a lot of things package-wise to make up for the loss of Lynch.

Starting cornerbacks


Right now, the 49ers' starting cornerbacks are Tramaine Brock and Jimmie Ward. Whether they play on the left or right will be based on game day decisions and match-ups with opposing offenses. Will Ward be on the outside or move inside to the nickel spot? "I would prefer our starting corner to stay outside," answered O'Neil. Even Eric Reid may get into the mix at cornerback. O'Neil stated that they team may use the safety at nickel in some heavier defensive packages.

Candidates to play the slot role include Will Redmond, Chris Davis, and Keith Reaser.

Defensive line


Since the goal is always to get the best 11 players on the field, O'Neil said that defensive linemen are learning all three positions. That gives each player the ability to play at any spot as needed.



LISTEN

Facebook Comments



More San Francisco 49ers News


placeholder image

Ex-49ers coach Jim Tomsula named Coach of the Year after guiding Rhein Fire to European championship

By David Bonilla
Sep 25

Former San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Tomsula has guided the Rhein Fire to a European League of Football championship. The 49ers named Tomsula their head coach in 2015 after the firing of Jim Harbaugh. His tenure lasted just one season as San Francisco went 5-11 that season. Chip Kelly replaced Tomsula in 2016, who also lasted just one season. Kyle Shanahan has been the 49ers head coach since 2017. Tomsula went on to serve as the defensive line coach for Washington (2017-19) and the Dallas Cowboys (2020) before being named the new Rhein Fire head coach last year. It was a reunion with the team he coached in 2006, when the Rhein Fire were a part of NFL Europe. Tomsula guided his European team to a 7-5 record last year. This year, he went 12-0


placeholder image

49ers agree to multi-year contract extensions with Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch

By David Bonilla
Sep 22

The San Francisco 49ers plan to keep the band together for a long time. The team announced that it has agreed to multi-year contract extensions with head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch. Details of the contracts are currently unknown. Before the new deals, Shanahan had been signed through the 2025 season, while Lynch was locked up through the 2024 season. They will now remain with the team longer than that. The 49ers Communications staff provided the following rundown. The duo joined the 49ers in February of 2017 and have since led the organization to the postseason three times, claimed two NFC West division titles (2019 & 2022), reached three NFC Championship games (2019 & 2021-22) and a trip to Super Bowl


placeholder image

John Lynch provides update on ailing 49ers receivers ahead of Cardinals game

By David Bonilla
Sep 29

On Thursday, San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that wide receivers Deebo Samuel and Jauan Jennings would be questionable for Sunday's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Neither has practiced this week. Samuel is dealing with rib and knee injuries, while Jennings is working through a shin injury. Another receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, did not play against the New York Giants last week. He has been limited during practices this week as he recovers from a shoulder injury. The 49ers have one more practice before Sunday's game at Levi's Stadium, a Friday afternoon session that is typically the lightest of the week. However, it may be crucial in determining the


placeholder image

John Lynch on 49ers contract extension: "I've got a ton of gratitude for the York family"

By David Bonilla
Sep 29

It is believed that general manager John Lynch's contract extension keeps him with the San Francisco 49ers through the 2027 season. The deal was actually done ahead of the start of the season but wasn't announced until the day after the team's Week 3 win over the New York Giants. Lynch was in Texas, where he and his family were spending time with his daughter, a student at TCU. That's when people started congratulating the 49ers general manager on his extension. That surprised him since the actual signing took place weeks earlier. Still, Lynch is grateful for the expression of confidence by 49ers management. "I think [head coach] Kyle [Shanahan], yesterday, I heard him use the term 'grateful,'" Lynch said Friday morning on KNBR's "Murph and Mac"


Featured

Trending News

Share 49ersWebzone