The slowest portion of the offseason is officially here. We’re in a holding pattern after the 49ers concluded mandatory minicamp last week before the start of training camp the last weekend of July. Vacation time will be coming hot and heavy in the coming weeks.
But before all that, your questions!
Eli Harold’s coming off surgery over the winter to repair a toe injury that’s bothered him for years. The hope is he’ll finally be recovered and pain free as he works his way into 2017.
Watson is an interesting player. He’s a good athlete that’s gotten plenty of reps with the second-team defense throughout the offseason program. It’s clear the 49ers like his value on special teams. He’s gotten much of the reps with the first-team coverage units.
But I don’t know if either has been good enough to unseat Brooks, who has transitioned well to the new 4-3 defense as a SAM linebacker on the strong side.
Brooks is in a good spot because the SAM is very similar to an outside linebacker in the previous 3-4. Remember, the new scheme is not a traditional 4-3. It’s a 4-3 under, which aligns just like the old 3-4.
The key difference is the LEO weak side pass rusher does not drop into coverage like a 3-4 outside linebacker. The LEO is strictly a defensive end that rushes the quarterback and sets the edge.
Kyle Shanahan in May made sure to praise Brooks for the shape he’s in and how he’s practiced. At 33, it would be easy to lump Brooks into the conversation with veterans that could be on their way out in the first year of the new regime.
But Brooks has impressed. He’s still difficult to block and is awfully athletic for his size. He’s moving around well and looks like he has a strong grip on the starting role in base downs and will have a shot to play either defensive end spot in passing situations – or at least be part of a deep rotation.
It’s still very early, but the 49ers likely won’t be able to keep all five of Brooks, Harold, Watson, Aaron Lynch and sixth-round pick Pita Taumoepenu on the 53-man roster. Elvis Dumervil’s addition makes things tricky. They might try to stash Taumoepenu on the practice squad, unless Lynch comes to training camp unmotivated, out of shape and easy to cut.
