49ers
49ers LB Dre Greenlaw said he has not been told anything in regards to his competition with LB Kwon Alexander for the team’s starting WILL linebacker role.
“I haven’t been told anything,” Greenlaw said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. “We’re both going to be ready, and I know the coaches they’re going to make the right decisions. So I’m just ready to play wherever the coaches put me at. I know I got to be ready to play both positions.”
Greenlaw mentioned that it is important to know both the SAM and WILL linebacker positions because they inherently have the same roles on opposite sides.
“The process for each of the positions is very similar,” Greenlaw said. “Being a WILL and SAM, strong side and weak side, you kind of do some of the same things — just opposite techniques on certain plays. So, basically, in order to learn the defense, you have to know both positions. Both positions are similar to each other.”
Greenlaw said he has continued studying the 49ersr’ defensive system this offseason and feels his time at WILL has helped him adjust to the speed of the NFL.
“I’m just trying to understand the scheme as much as possible. Now that I have a year under my belt, I have a good feel for the speed of the game. Just the defense in general and understanding my job and my technique and trying to be 100-percent correct on all my assignments.”
Rams
The Rams somewhat surprisingly drafted two safeties this year, despite having John Johnson and Taylor Rapp in place as their starting tandem.
Rams area scout Brian Hill explained that they view sixth-round pick Jordan Fuller as being a “very similar” player to Johnson.
“I think [he’s] very similar to John Johnson,” Hill said, via Ramswire.com. “That’s what I thought when I was watching him. I guess if you want a little more speed, he doesn’t have exactly the juice, but he makes up for it with the right angles and [he’s] long and rangy.”
Seahawks
Seahawks HC Pete Carroll admitted during an appearance on The Ringer’s “Flying Coach Podcast” that he can be overly optimistic about players coming out of college at times.
“I’m such an optimist … I see something that really excites me about a guy and I don’t have to see him play great all the time,” Carroll said, via Mynorthwest.com. “If I can see enough stuff then I think I can tap into it. I’m a little bit of a victim of that in recruiting and all that because maybe I’m too optimistic about that. Basically, they are what they are and then you develop them and you try to add to it, but I kind of fall (victim) to that.”
Even so, John Clayton believes Carroll’s optimistic approach has been largely successful for the Seahawks.
“The one thing is Pete is very optimistic and he’s very positive and he thinks that with his coaching and his coaching staff that he can get these guys to reach the best level. In many ways he has and in some cases, hey, you aren’t going to hit on everything, and I don’t think there should be any reconsideration of anything with what you do as far as Pete’s coaching because you can see the success,” Clayton said. “He’s in the playoffs just about every year, he’s now trying to build everything for a Super Bowl run. So you’re not going to be perfect, but hey, that’s the way football is.”
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Sea hags will be lucky to make the playoffs this year. Not just because the 49ers are a better team, but Arizona can beat them at home as well as be a tough out at Seattle.