San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Raheem Morris spoke with reporters after Friday's training camp practice. Here's everything he had to say.
Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.
What happens in a practice like today's when you run out of one specific position?
"You just keep going. You do what you do in a game. Stuff happens in a game, you've got to switch personnel groupings, you've got to be able to deviate off the schedule and off the scripted plan and be able to get the other guys out there and give them opportunities. Nothing better than that happening in these type of environments. You want to strain these guys to the point of where they can go. Take ourselves in the deep water a little bit and find a way to swim. I think those are the things that we had to do today. I love the style of practice. I love the physicality of it all. I love the guys being able to fight through it and get all stuff that you want to get done today. I couldn't be more proud of how we accomplished that today."
Early on in practice, it looked like you and WR Deebo Samuel were catching up. What is it like to have them here?
"I've hated him so long (laughter) and it's so nice to have him back in a friendly atmosphere. He's been one of those guys that's been a highly competitive guy in the National Football League that you've got to deal with. No matter what the circumstance of the game is, what the situation is of the game, you've got to be aware. He's the ultimate piece that can move around, and you have to game plan around him because of his ability to run the football, his ability to line up at receiver, his ability to take screens, his ability to do a bunch of different things on special teams, whether it be return man or whatever the case may be. He's so versatile and we've used him so well in the Bay for so long. We were kind of catching up. Caught up yesterday, but it's always good to see him, a face that's familiar around this building and getting him back is really cool."
What are your memories of facing him in two really consequential games?
"Let's just sum it up like this. I think it was '22 and he caught this pass on us that we should have picked off and I think he took it for about 60. I think he was a free agent, and it played every day that summer. I couldn't watch ESPN for the entire summer because I kept watching Deebo score a 60-yard touchdown on us. Those are the biggest memories I have of him. Him making big-time plays on us and them finding ways to get him the ball in unique situations and getting him involved in the space and we know what he can do in space."
The rookie DTs, James Thompson Jr. and Bryson Eason, showing power and quickness and speed in the one-on-ones. How do you see the defensive tackle rotation behind DL Osa Odighizuwa? Is it competitive?
"It really is. Even though one of our guys is out right now, [DL Gracen] Halton, he started off really well. You've got [DL] C.J. West out there, you've got a bunch of different guys. You've got big A.C. [DL Alfred Collins] coming back and then some of even the young guys, they really stepped up and have done some really good things. It's nice to see those guys getting reps, getting opportunities. Seeing them have to fight through days like this, that's what the League is about. Fighting through days like this, finding a way to contribute. Those guys are all finding ways to be significant contributors in that room. It'll all play out as we go further and further into camp."
What is the level of concern when you have so few edge rushers available at the moment?
"It's hard to say level of concern. You've got [DL Nick] Bosa out there. You've got [DL] Romello Height. [DL] Mykel Williams coming back off injury. You know they're going to all come back at some point. You've got [DL] Keion White out there. You've got a bunch of different guys that can give you such a presence. Then you've got different people that can provide different type of rush mechanisms. You're talking about [LB] Fred [Warner], you're talking about [LB Dre] Greenlaw, you're talking about even a safety position with a guy like Tig [S Ji'Ayir Brown]. Trying to utilize and find different ways to mix it up to get rush, pressure and things that you're able to do. It's hard to say concerned. It's more for me like the chess pieces that can move around and give you different tools and different things that can happen and how you work them."
Does the film from practice capture T Trent Williams and Bosa doing their one-on-one thing on the side and do you get a chance to watch them?
"That's their own personal thing. Those guys, Bosa goes and gets him and he does his own work. A lot of times he pulls Trent, he gets his one-on-one reps and things that he has to do. Then he goes over with Bosa and kind of helps those guys. When you see two vets like that working together, you kind of want to get away, let those guys do what they do. That's why they're great. Whatever the greatness that they're searching and the little intricate details that they're trying to get done over there, let those guys go and do those things. Those little private moments, I know they're right in front of you guys, so they're not that private, but that's the things that they do. I kind of walk away when I see that kind of stuff."
You mentioned Tig. What are your impressions of him so far?
"Tig and a lot of the other safeties have been really impressive. They've gotten hands on the balls, having a chance to knock some passes down, do a bunch of different things as far as covering. Watching these guys really gain a grasp of the defense and really communicate at a very high level with Fred. It's hard not to when you've got those guys out there at the linebacker position doing what they do to be able to read the right call and be able to communicate with those guys is really easy. I'm very impressed with the guys being able to pick it up and how much they love football. That's the really cool part about this place."
DB Deommodore Lenoir is known to be very competitive around the League. You see him out there really excited to go up against guys like WR Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel. What have you seen from him, especially in 11-on-11 drills and as a competitor?
"DMo's one of those guys, like you talked about, being highly competitive. When he's playing against Mike, you know a gold jacket-type of guy in practice, and then you get back Deebo, and we know what Deebo brings with someone as far as the competitive standpoint, along with the [WR Demarcus Robinson] D-Robs, along with all the other wide receivers that we have, the young [WR De'Zhaun] Stribling. There's a bunch of different guys out there that provide different challenges. I really love how he's accepted it. He's going out there trying to find out his spots, picking his spots to play really aggressive. Picking his spots to play really smart. Picking his spots to be able to utilize his help. Being able to understand the defense at a very high level. It's all really competitive for him on the grass, but it's just as competitive for him inside the grass. It seems simple for those guys, but they have little moments that they can pick, and I love how they're picking those moments. Him and [CB] Renardo [Green] have really stood out in that way. And [CB] Jack [Jones] as well. Being able to go find those moments. [CB Darrell] Luter [Jr.], a bunch of different guys have made some plays, so it's like they're finding those moments in those places where they can make plays and it's really cool to watch."
Given your history with former Los Angeles Rams DL Aaron Donald, if he does come back, would you say he could be himself again?
"It's Aaron Donald. Those kinds of guys are what they are. They can do whatever they put their mind to. They've got those different mentalities, those different people. We all know those different people in sports. We talk all the time about the [former NBA player] Kobe Bryant, [former NBA player] Michael Jordans, Aaron Donald. Different people like that."
Will you counsel him to stay retired?
"I'm not going to counsel him to do anything. You can counsel him on staying retired and he'll come back just to spite you. Aaron is a grown man and he's going to make a grown man decision, whatever it is and whenever he decides to make it."
What has DL Osa Odighizuwa's acclimation and adjustment been like to the defense?
"It's been fun to watch. It's been fun to watch him come in. And then really the first thing I noticed is what's his routine, his daily routine and how hard he works and how much he does for himself to keep himself ready to go. So those are the nosy moments you have as a coach where you can ask those things, 'when did this start?' He just talked about his history and growing up and having a brother that played as well and being able to adapt some of those things from different people in the places that he's been. Watching him go through his process and how long he's able to be in a building, his mental stamina to stay within the framework of what we're doing and to figure out how good he can be. I really appreciate that about him. So, his presence being graced upon us in the building with a great smile, great energy, person that loves football and really comfortable with himself. Those are all really great qualities to bring to a different team."
How would you evaluate LB Jaden Dugger so far through camp and where is he at in his development?
"He's doing great. The young man has really stepped up on special teams, showing his ability to contribute immediately. Everybody's special teams is kind of the proving ground. And when you go out there and you show physicality out there, that really helps it. So when [special teams coordinator] Brant [Boyer], [assistant special teams coach] Colt [Anderson] and those guys give those guys kind of those kind of credits and then that gives them the ability to get out there and play even more defense and get more confidence, watching him grow every single day and learn from every single, I can't say mistake, but correction, whatever that correction is I think is always something that's fun. When you're talking about those younger players and within his room, there's not a lot of talking I have to do to him. He's got Fred and Greenlaw, who are players in that room, along with guys like [LB Garret] Wallow and [LB] Tatum [Bethune] that have been in this system and been around those guys and how to prepare. And then the coaches in that room talking about [defensive run game coordinator] Johnny Holland and [linebackers coach] K.J. Wright. A guy that's played a long time. They both played in the League, they both coached a long time. Well, Johnny's coached a long time, and he's got a bunch of knowledge he's able to get and acquire every single day and he's eating it all up."
Renardo was saying the other day he felt like you have done a good job of kind of stripping things down so that they can play fast, simplifying things enough that it's more digestible. Can you just explain what he might mean by that? What are some of the methods you use to try to do that?
"It's hard to say without giving away all of Renardo's secrets, but it's like having such a DB background, you're able to relate to those guys and what's important. And then it's like trying to find ways that they can take shots and have opportunities to make plays. This whole League is based on those guys making plays. Nobody cares if you go out there and cover a guy and they don't get a catch. They care about what the significance of the plays that you made were. And he's found ways to make some significant plays throughout camp and throughout the offseason. He's growing every single day as he learned and his communication with his safeties and what he should be and how he should be and what he should look like. I think those things have all gotten better for him. And that's probably what he's talking about and it's like being able to give him those details and be able to talk to him and coach those guys. And again, he has another big-time veteran in his room in [defensive passing game coordinator] Jerry Gray, that's played a lot of football. He's caught a lot of interceptions in this League. He's coached a lot of really great DBs, and he's able to get it from everybody, all walks of life within his building. [Defensive backs/cornerbacks] Ray Brown, he's got a ton of coaches in there, and I'm only a contributor to be able to help those guys."
Was there something you saw with him either on tape or even in your conversations with him where maybe he was overthinking or something that did need to strip it down a little bit?
"It was less about that. It was more about my evaluation from college, what I knew about him and who he could be. It was kind of the relationship that he had with [Pittsburgh Steelers S] Jalen Ramsey, obviously being a Florida State guy. It was obviously some of those immediate relationships that was able to help me really get in with him before even going dark about anything that went wrong within the past here. That's the corner position, right? There's only two positions in the National Football League that get all the criticisms, tackles and corners. It is what it is. That's the life we chose. And it's like, you've got to find a way to ignore the noise and find a way to be the best version of yourself every day."
Yesterday in practice, Fred and Dre had aggressive moments. Given the fact they're veterans and done this a long time, is it necessary to give them a protect your teammates message or do you like a bit of that edge? How do you handle situations like that?
"That's a part of us, right? We always talk about protecting the team. That's something that we talk about every single day, whether it's in the defensive unit rooms, whether it's in our team meetings, whether it's in opposition rooms. That's a major part of what we do. And you always get tempers to flare and when you're talking to those adults, it's easy to be really critical and hard on those guys about what we want it to look like. They know what we want it to look like. You can tell by their body language after, even when it happens. I told Fred the other day, he's starting a fight in practice and he's walking up the field and he's kissing every baby that's in sight. You are the ultimate guy. And then they're very correctable moments that gives your head coach an opportunity to go in there, talk to the very best players on your football team every day and correct those things. And when people see that, that gives great examples. So, it's always good. You don't want them. You wish they would do it right away, but if that was the case, they wouldn't need us. That's what we're here for."
There's a lot of players in this League that really like playing for you. When you lose a defensive end, does a guy like DL Leonard Floyd blow up your phone? You've had him a couple times. What has he done for your defense in the past?
"Leonard Floyd is a phenomenal football player. He's even a better human. He's the kind of high-quality guy that you always want to be around. But, it's not that he blows up my phone, those things all happen within the workings of our group upstairs. Obviously, you're always going to have the input, you're always going to have a say. They're always going to come to you and ask the questions, ask the things. Leonard's been here, so we know what he's about. We know what those kind of guys are about. So, those things could possibly happen. You never know. You always keep guys, they're always short lists. There's things that happen all the time. We've got great people in place to do those things, [assistant general manager] RJ [Gillen] and [director of scouting and football operations] Josh [Williams] and all those guys in that personnel department that are constantly looking every single day. You've give a lot of credit, a lot of respect for those guys."
How is LB Nick Martin doing? When you're talking about Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw is being on the field, not just in that room, but on the field as the third linebacker with them, something that's really sped up his development?
"The pads came on yesterday and he really showed up, had one of his better days yesterday with his pads. You can see the ability to run around and be physical and hit. You can see on his explosion, you can see the things why he was drafted. You see a lot of the traits. And he's continued to grow every single day. So being out there with those two guys won't hurt, I can tell you that much. So having the ability to get him out there and compete at a very high level, that's what you want. You want highly competitive spots, highly competitive people at all those spots going out there competing at a big-time level."
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