Analyzing the weakest position on the San Francisco 49ers defense.
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00:00 What's the weakest position on the Niners defense right now that they've really overhauled?
00:04 I think it's revamped. I think it's Ambry. Like I know a lot of people. No, I'm saying position group
00:11 weakest position on the defense. Well, yeah, I think it's your
00:16 looking at the whole position. There's one specific position this week. Like the cornerbacks,
00:22 the DBs in general for the 49ers are good. Yamaha, Lenoir, Char-Berry's board, very good.
00:26 But after that, it's a big drop off. So I don't know if it's the weakest position group.
00:30 Well, what do you think of Isaac Yadam?
00:32 He seems okay. I got to see a lot more. I think he can play nickel. I don't know. I know. Here's
00:44 what I do know. I think Yamaha or Lenoir doesn't want to play nickel. I've heard those rumblings.
00:49 Interesting.
00:49 Yamaha or Lenoir wants to be an outside corner.
00:52 You know why?
00:53 More money.
00:55 Yeah.
00:56 Yeah.
00:56 Yep.
00:58 So I mean, I think a lot of people are going to say safety, but I really I'm a big Huff guy.
01:04 I love what Huff gives you. We'll see how he looks coming off of an injury.
01:08 And Brown was very encouraging. I expect Brown to be better than he was last year,
01:14 but they're very similar and you probably still need a free safety.
01:17 But those two guys give me confidence. I just I like Huff.
01:23 But that third corner spot to me is the biggest gap that needs to be filled still on the entire team.
01:30 All right, I'm going to go a different direction here.
01:33 I think their linebacker position is hurting.
01:36 Fred Warner is as consistent as it gets. He's great. No questions there.
01:41 After him, what do they got? Devondre Campbell, who's old and hasn't been good in two, three years.
01:50 Demetrius Flanagan fouls and a couple of guys who didn't play last year.
01:53 That's it.
01:54 Dre Greenlaw will come back, but what's he going to be? He was great two years ago.
01:58 He was phenomenal two years ago. Last year,
02:01 look, he was limping around the field the entire year and then he got hurt.
02:04 I think that was another big reason the Niners run defense wasn't what
02:07 it was the year before, even though it was all Steve Wilks fault.
02:10 But now I don't know what to expect from Dre because of all the players in the defense,
02:15 he was the one that needed to be fast and violent and all that.
02:19 The last linebacker on the Niners, I saw tear their Achilles and try to come back was
02:23 Bowman.
02:23 That didn't work out very well. So I know Greenlaw is younger, but I think that this
02:29 is a huge issue. I don't think Campbell's an answer. It wasn't their first choice.
02:33 Their first choice is Greenlaw pre pre-injury.
02:37 Second choice was Kendrick's third choice is Campbell. They got a draft.
02:40 At least one guy. I know they drafted D winners and Jalen Graham last year,
02:43 but those were late picks. I think they need early ish pick on a linebacker.
02:48 There's a guy named Gray, I believe from Penn State, who seems to be available often
02:53 in these mock drafts who might be an answer there.
02:56 But here's the thing with I've actually been saying this for two years now, three years.
03:01 When it comes to the 49ers, there's one position group I never worry about.
03:04 And that's linebacker, because I mean, this is the team that brought you Patrick
03:09 Willis in the bar. I know a whole different era.
03:12 That's why they should go draft a guy because you'll nail it.
03:14 He'll nail it. And then here's the thing is, I don't believe in Devon.
03:17 Drake Campbell, no offense. I got to see this guy in the locker. I'm sorry.
03:20 You're older. Packers didn't want you. You said they didn't use you, right?
03:23 They use you the same way for three years. And he worked. You were good.
03:27 And then you got older. You got hurt a bunch like no.
03:29 No, and there's there's two things we know how these 49ers operate with their rookies.
03:34 So we didn't see anything from Graham and winners. Winners, I believe, was injured.
03:39 But what I saw from those guys last year, Winters has a ton of talent.
03:43 He was all over the field in college. Jalen Graham was very encouraging.
03:47 In training camp preseason, so it would not surprise me based on what the 49ers typically
03:53 do with rookies. If we see a big jump from one of those guys this coming season and surpassing
04:00 Flanagan Fowles, I could see Graham being that guy. I haven't seen enough from winners
04:04 in the NFL to know, but he's very talented to Graham is one of the guys I think we could see
04:09 a big sophomore jump from, especially with Greenlaw being injured.
04:15 I just think the Niners take that weak side linebacker position very seriously.
04:19 They once gave Quan Alexander a whole lot of money to play that position. They once drafted
04:24 Ruben Foster around one traded up for him to play that position. And they gave Dre Greenlaw a nice
04:31 little extension to play that position. And now they got a bandaid, a backup backup plan, bandaid
04:37 and Devondre Campbell. No offense. I've really gone hard after Devondre Campbell. I have no
04:40 personal animus against this guy. I'm sorry, Devondre. So they've done that. It's not their
04:44 first choice or second choice. They take the position seriously. I wouldn't be surprised if
04:50 they round one, two or three, one of those one of those spots, they take a linebacker out round
04:56 three. You'll be great. Take with a comp pick. Yeah, I believe it was his name. Someone in the
05:01 chest is Cedric is his first name. That's such a great guy is good. I could see him being a pick
05:06 for the 49ers. He seems to be available, I think, in the third round. He's been available for the
05:11 49ers in most mock drafts. So, yeah, I agree. I would not be surprised if they they get a
05:16 linebacker. I could see them getting a defensive tackle and a linebacker. And I think we're going
05:20 to talk about the line later, but I think the 49ers fans need to prepare themselves for the
05:24 49ers taking best player available. And maybe that's what they should do. Maybe that's the
05:29 smart thing. Maybe that's what fans want them to do. But I know there's a big segment of this
05:32 fan base that wants them to go off after offensive line. And I'm not so sure that's what's going to
05:36 happen. Hey, whoever replaces Greg Greenlaw this year, if it's Campbell, winners, Graham, whoever,
05:42 you have to be the most violent player on the defense. You're not just a linebacker. You are
05:48 like the heart of the defense. You're the you're the most intimidating player. You set the tone,
05:54 all those cliches. It's a really specific role that Greg Greenlaw has. And Fred Warner is the
06:00 coverage guy. He's the guy that's really making it tough for your passing game. But the guy who's,
06:05 you know, delivering blows to the running backs and the check down options like that's Greenlaw.
06:10 And he's flying sideline to sideline. And one of the things that's cool about Greenlaw is
06:15 he freaked. Well, not cool. But what you know about Greenlaw, he gets those 15 yard penalties
06:19 by the sideline. He's always in these really big collisions near the sideline. The question is,
06:24 like, oh, was it a late hit? Yeah, well, he's there. He's not diving for ankles and stuff.
06:29 He's in your ear hole. Pause. But he's right breathing down your neck. Yeah. And that's what
06:34 you got to be. And if you can't do that, then they got to find that guy. I don't know if Campbell
06:37 can move like that at this point in his career. He's the enforcer and the intimidator. And I think
06:41 that's one reason I was so frustrated with getting rid of Jimmy Ward, because he was that guy
06:46 as well. One guy who has kind of stepped up into that role, even though he's a DB,
06:50 would be Yamador Lenore. He's he plays like that. But you're right. 49ers can't have.
06:56 And Fred's amazing, man. Fred's amazing. But he's not that dude where it's like he's not a
07:02 punisher. He's not going to make guys think twice. That was Greenlawn's role. And that's important.
07:10 The team needs to have that. They need to have that edge. And whoever fills Greenlawn's shoes,
07:14 which big shoes to fill, they need to take on that role. Do you know the timeline for Dre Greenlawn?
07:20 I don't think they do. I mean, it's an Achilles. So it's a wait and see thing. It could be.
07:29 I have no idea what they're even projecting. So that'll be a question at the
07:33 owners meetings next week. I'll be there in Orlando, flying across country to ask
07:37 about Zach Wilson. And yeah, no, well, the questions we had the owners meeting,
07:43 Branis Daly, Nick Sorenson, all the stuff we haven't talked about that they've done.
07:48 Remember the question I wanted to I suggested Eric Armstead. What?
07:51 Why did Jed York stand? Oh, yeah. On winning the Super Bowl. Why is it not
07:58 the ultimate goal anymore? I mean, why is it why is the season still a success if you just
08:03 play in the NFC championship game? Because he said two different things.
08:07 Phrase it in a way that's not super aggressive. But I think I can do that.
08:12 I can do it. I'm sure you can do it. I think you do it. I'm a pro.
08:15 You're a professional.