Photo by Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images
Thursday was all about the linebackers. Robert Saleh, the former linebackers coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars and assistant linebackers coach in Houston, has a soft spot for them. His former player in Houston, DeMeco Ryans, is now Saleh’s inside linebackers coach.
Saleh tips DeMeco Ryans for future as head coach
It’s almost a sure thing that Saleh leaves this offseason. Aside from Kansas City’s Eric Bienemy, Saleh is the hottest name on the head coaching market, and barring any league-wide stupidity (which is always in play), he should be a head coach next season.
If/when he leaves, the 49ers will need a replacement. One name that’s in play for the defensive coordinator spot is Ryans. The 36-year-old is in his third year as the inside linebackers coach and fourth with the team.
When asked if Ryans had the capability to take Saleh’s spot as defensive coordinator, Saleh went a step further, praising his attention to detail and the way he yearns for knowledge.
“DeMeco is well-spoken,” Saleh said. “He’s got a lot of respect from his players. He’s incredibly intelligent. He is a sponge for knowledge. Even though he’s played in this league—he’s been a Pro Bowler, he was Defensive Rookie of the Year—he still learns. I see him taking notes every day. Coach is talking, he’s taking notes. I’m talking, he’s taking notes. DB coach is talking, he’s taking notes. He is an absolute sponge in that regard, which tells you that he’s not just going to take a system and go, he’s going to evolve. So, because of that, I just think he’s got a really good chance to continue to evolve and be a head coach one day.”
Saleh pointed to the way Ryans has guided the 49ers’ very young linebacker group, providing the example of preparing Azeez Al-Shaair, who took over for Fred Warner at middle linebacker once Warner suffered a stinger on Sunday. He said Ryans helped Al-Shaair to play in that spot without blinking.
Ryans spoke to KNBR at the Super Bowl in February and said he’s learned a lot from run game specialist and outside linebackers coach Johnny Holland and that with his players, “I ride them hard.” He described having an intimate bond with his players.
“It’s special for me because it’s a very special group,” Ryans said in February. “Not just football, but for me, it’s all about off the field. Being a former player and having an insight being where these guys were and just being able to see them over the year, grow and develop as pros. I’ve been more proud of that; just seeing those guys grow as pros, from where they where they started where they are now. It’s just been a huge blessing, a huge honor to coach those guys.”
Those linebackers are pretty good, huh
Saleh took time out of his press conference to individually praise all three of the 49ers’ leading linebackers in Fred Warner, who should be an All-Pro lock this year, Dre Greenlaw, who is likely a future Pro Bowler, and Al-Shaair, who has become a valuable, speedy cog in the system.
He requested the media oblige him on a biased, but accurate assessment of Fred Warner as the league’s best middle linebacker. He recalled Warner playing as a quasi-nickel in college to playing MIKE and being able to make pre-snap checks, comparing him to Peyton Manning.
“I don’t think he got enough credit a year ago because of the fact that our front four just stole the show every single game, but the things that he did and the way he gets us lined up, it’s Peyton Manning-like in what he did for, from an offensive perspective, just as a comparative measure,” Saleh said. “Now this year, now that he’s got a third year behind the ball, he’s only getting more and more comfortable behind the ball. He’s seeing more and more concepts, formations, being put in different situations.”
“And again, he’s only going to get better. So, I will be biased and say that he is by far, by far the best middle linebacker in football. It’s not even close in my opinion. With what he does and what we ask him to do and his energy, his positive energy, his leadership, his off the field stuff, you can’t make them like that, not very often anyway.”
Again, when Warner went down, it was Al-Shaair who stepped in. Saleh said that he eased whatever anxiety he had in that second half once Warner went down.
“God, I’m going to credit [LB] Azeez [Al-Shaair] on this one because for every anxiety a coach might have, our players have stepped up over and over and over again and have relieved those anxieties by proving that they’re up to the task,” Saleh said. “Azeez did a really nice job in there. A couple of plays that I’m sure he wants back, but to have Azeez step in and still run the defense, get everybody lined up and everyone trusting him that he’s giving them the right calls, he’s putting them in the right situations and getting them lined up as quickly as possible.
“Credit to obviously [inside linebackers coach] DeMeco [Ryans] and the way he coaches those guys and then Azeez to go out there and not even blink. So, he did a really nice job. Never good to lose someone like Fred, especially with how much he does for us, but I thought Azeez, credit goes to him and the way he’s prepped and the way he was ready to go in when Fred did go down.”
Oh, and Greenlaw. He’s not bad, either.
“Dre has got a chance, he’s got a chance to be really, really, really good. Darn near special,” Saleh said. “Obviously, there’s always going to be things that he can clean up. There’s going to be little nuances that we feel like, and he will admit that he can get better at, that may not be seen by the naked eye or the fan, but he’s got to continue to work. The deliberateness in which he works, that entire linebacker room, they’re so close-knit in the way they operate and the way they communicate with one another.
“Like I said, DeMeco does such a great job with that group. So, he’s got a chance. He hasn’t even scratched the surface yet of what he’s going to be three, four years from now. So, he’s special. His tackling ability, his speed and his range is up there with anyone. As he sees more and more plays and as his football IQ continues to increase, he’s only going to get better.”
Practice participation report
The positive news for the 49ers is that Daniel Brunskill has practiced both days this week. They’ll need him considering Colton McKivitz is on the Reserve/COVID-19 list, Hroniss Grasu seems unlikely to play and Tom Compton is on injured reserve along with the other center depth the 49ers have. You’re likely looking at either Tony Bergstrom or Dakoda Shepley starting at right guard on Sunday.
Limited:
- G Daniel Brunskill (shoulder sprain)
- DT D.J. Jones (ankle)
- CB Emmanuel Moseley (hamstring)
- RB Raheem Mostert (ankle)
- LB Fred Warner (stinger)
- CB K’Waun Williams (ankle)
OUT:
- C Hroniss Grasu (knee)
- WR Deebo Samuel (hamstring)