SANTA CLARA — One 49ers first-round draft pick was medically cleared for football activity. The other is still not with the team while agents negotiate his contract.
Reuben Foster and Solomon Thomas were the main topics of conversation from a press conference starring head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch on the eve of their first training camp together.
Let’s start with the good news. One final ultrasound cleared Foster from his February rotator cuff surgery. He’ll be full-go for football activities on Friday, and the 49ers can barely contain how excited they are to see him on the field. Lynch noted the linebacker’s ‘alpha dog’ mentality has been contagious. NaVorro Bowman said Foster’s been eager to learn and the two have been lifting weights together.
And, the rookie has been studying.
“He surprised me with his knowledge of the defense,” Shanahan said. “How much he paid attention, not to just his position but the overall scheme. I think he’s in as good as spot as you can be without stepping on the field.”
Until his signature touches the paper, Thomas lies on the other end of the spectrum. After missing much of the offseason program because of classes at Stanford, the No. 3 overall pick is in danger of missing more valuable time. Last year’s No. 3 overall pick, Joey Bosa, held out for 31 days before finally coming to an agreement with the Chargers over when his signing bonus would be paid.
I’m told chief strategy officer Paraag Marathe has been working round the clock on talks with Thomas’ agents, but being the leader he is, Lynch went as far as to blame himself for the hiccup.
“Shoot, I’m concerned right now,” Lynch said. “I wish this were done. I think it should be done, you know? I’m disappointed with myself in a certain way that it’s not — I’m also learning that this is part of the business part of the game.”
Because of how high he was selected, Thomas is expected to come in and make in impact. He’ll likely rotate between defensive tackle and defensive end early in the season, before the 49ers determine which spot suits him best. But there was certainly a large adjustment period for fellow Stanford classmate Joshua Garnett. The first-round pick was unable to crack the starting lineup until Week 6 a season ago. Not saying Thomas will be in the same boat, but expecting him to dominate right away is being naive.
The strange part about Thomas’ case is that most of his teammates don’t know him well, yet. Archaic NFL rules kept him away from the facility so he could focus on college studies. Training camp will seem intense at times because he hasn’t been fed with a spoon during OTAs. There will be mental hurdles to leap.
With that said, Foster’s ascension into the stating lineup probably will end up being more challenging. Former Oakland Raider Malcolm Smith has come in and impressed at the position. Bowman said as much on Thursday.
“Malcolm’s got a head start,” Bowman said. “He’s been playing for a while now. He understands the game.”
The 49ers aren’t necessarily stressing about Thomas, but they don’t want to see this linger. Things got ugly between the Chargers and Bosa last season, and although he still won defensive rookie of the year despite holding out until Week 2 of the regular season, both parties released statements that made a tedious situation turn treacherous.
The 49ers aren’t expecting those dramatics.
“Solomon wants to be here as bad as anyone,” Shanahan said. “We want him here as bad as anyone. I’m confident we’ll get it done, but I can’t worry about it too much.”