49ers guard Dominick Puni wondered if he’d peaked. Then he found a fix (paywall)
“A coach tells you, ‘Man, if you keep doing that, you’re probably not going to get away with it much longer,’” Puni said. “But if it’s working, in my head, you’re just going to keep doing it. It’s hard to listen when something’s working.”
Once defensive tackles began beating him, the message landed. Puni embraced Foerster’s coaching and reversed his slide.
“I found something later in the season, attacked it in the offseason
and worked with coach Foerster,” Puni said. “We’ve been getting better at it ever since. I feel a lot more comfortable knowing I have a technique I can go to.”
49ers-Titans joint practice sets up clashes with Cam Ward, Robert Saleh and an All-Pro DT (paywall)
“Morris and his sticky corners soon face their first true test across from blue-chip wide receiver Carnell Tate, whom the Titans drafted No. 4 overall out of Ohio State. Tate, the first wideout taken in April, reportedly caught three touchdowns passes in a given practice over the weekend.
The quarterback throwing to him, of course, was Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall pick last April.
The 49ers have a competitive cohort of cornerbacks. They make plays and let you know about it. Tuesday will be a telling clash. “Every now and then, I’ll try and poke at them to see if I can poke the bear … it kind of gets them going,” defensive backs coach Ray Brown said.”
Aloha, Mr. Hands: 49ers cornerbacks dissect De’Zhaun Stribling’s strong start (paywall)
“I would say him just catching away from his body, just kind of trusting his hands,” Lenoir said of Stribling’s strength. “He’s got that catch radius where he’s gonna catch it away from his body. He’s got strong fingertips.”
….Lining up at the F or slot position has created regular matchups with Stout, who’s also having a strong camp. He and the other cornerbacks have more license to play aggressively this year, which suits their styles and has led to plenty of tipped passes and incompletions in the middle of the field. That close coverage has vexed receivers like Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins, with Watkins in particular having an issue with contested catches early in training camp.
But Stribling has looked confident with a cornerback or safety draped over his back.
“He’s going to be a dog,” Stout said.
Rising coach on 49ers’ staff? Former Seahawk K.J. Wright
“Saleh says linebacker coaches need to know the entirety of the defense, the importance of communication and how pass rush and coverage work together, which gives them a leg up on other defensive coaches aiming to become coordinators. He calls it a “global understanding” that can be hard to gain from other positions.
When Saleh left the Niners the first time in 2021, Ryans was the easy choice to replace him. If Morris, who has been a head coach twice, gets San Francisco’s defense back to previous levels, it’s not out of the question he could get another opportunity in the coming years.
For now, Wright says he is only thinking of his current job and not the future.”
The Good and Not So Good from Day 10 of 49ers Camp: McCaffrey Out with Tightness
“Every day, Dugger bats down a pass in this drill. He’s a work in progress, but he already shows so much potential in coverage, which makes sense, considering he’s huge and a former safety.….All things considered, that’s a good day for Purdy. He’s working with a bunch of backups he barely knows, and he’s still playing well.”
Undrafted rookie wide receiver Will Pauling vying for role with uncertain 49ers
“The 49ers demand that their receivers are willing and effective blockers, and Pauling has turned heads.
“No matter if he’s going up against a D-end, a linebacker, or a DB, he’s been sustaining blocks,” Hankerson said. “And that shows up a lot.”
Pauling had 155 receptions for 1,753 yards and 15 touchdowns in his 48-game college career that began at Cincinnati in 2021.
At the very least, he appears to be a strong candidate to stick around on the 49ers practice squad. But that is only if he does not make the 49ers’ regular-season roster or another team does not claim him.”
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak shares updates ahead of 49ers-Titans preseason game
“San Francisco 49ers offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak spoke with reporters after Monday’s training camp practice as the team gears up for its preseason game against the Tennessee Titans. Here’s everything he had to say.”
49ers bubble watch: One rookie whose job is in jeopardy
“On Monday morning, the Patriots released offensive tackle Caedan Wallace, a third-round pick from the 2024 NFL Draft. Wallace’s rookie year was derailed by an ankle injury that landed him on the Injured Reserve. He’s played sparingly through two seasons and will look for a fresh start.
If you’re the 49ers, you see the fourth pick of the third round two years ago. He’s 6’5”, 314 pounds with hand size (90th percentile) and broad jump (96th percentile) that you covet.
The 49ers’ depth is so depleted that they are using Austen Pleasants at guard and have a forever camp body in Brandon Parker at tackle. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and in this instance, a player like Wallace could be just what the team needs to upgrade.
During August, there may not be draft “busts” like Wallace available, but there will be plenty of different talents who could make the Niners think twice about Cruz Jr. Or at the very least, bring that player in to give one of the backups, like Cruz Jr., a run for their money.”
