49ers Open Up Organized Team Activities; 4 Takeaways from the Start of OTAs

Most of the 49ers new-look defensive line was in attendance and were joined by veteran Nick Bosa, who typically trains in Florida for most of the offseason.

The defensive line was a point of emphasis during free agency for San Francisco, and nearly all of the 49ers offseason additions were participating in Tuesday afternoon’s practice. That list includes Leonard Floyd, Jordan Elliott, Yetur Gross-Matos, Raymond Johnson III, Evan Anderson and Shakel Brown. The only notable absence from this free agency group is Maliek Collins, who head coach Kyle Shanahan said will join the team in Santa Clara after his kids graduate next week.

Bosa, who is entering his sixth season with the 49ers, was also a notable attendee. The veteran defensive lineman has not, for a number of reasons from a pandemic to a season-ending injury, been a regular participant in this voluntary portion of the offseason workout program in years past.

“I love Nick being around, love him getting a chance to do football with the guys,” Shanahan said. “Nick’s first year, after the Super Bowl, his first offseason we had Covid. The next year, after the offseason, torn ACL. The year after that, he was in contract stuff. I believe that’s right. This is the first year that has been a totally normal year, and I think the one year that it was like that, he came to a few OTAs. He didn’t come to all of them, but he didn’t just come to minicamp. I’m glad he is here the first week, and hopefully, he’ll continue.”

Center Jake Brendel is dealing with knee tendonitis which the team expects will keep him out of practice until training camp.

Brendel was working out on the sidelines of the SAP Performance Facility and was one of a few 49ers that were present but not practicing. That group includes tight end George Kittle, linebacker Fred Warner, safety Talanoa Hufanga, tight end Cameron Latu, wide receiver Jacob Cowing and defensive lineman Drake Jackson.

Deebo Samuel Sr. sported his new No. 1 jersey and headed up a wide receiver room that includes first-round pick Ricky Pearsall.

No more No. 19 for Samuel Sr. who changed his number this offseason to No. 1. For 49ers fans it may be a big change, but longtime fans of the wide receiver will recognize this jersey number from his college football days at South Carolina. The No. 19 now belongs to the recently re-signed wideout Trent Taylor.

“I think he looks good. No. 1 can be a risky number if you’re not slimming,” Shanahan said jokingly. “He came back and he looks really good in No. 1, so I’m excited for that and hope to keep it that way.”

As for the 49ers first-round pick, he caught passes from both Brock Purdy and Joshua Dobbs on Tuesday as he works to master San Francisco’s intricate offensive scheme.

“He’s done a good job coming in, obviously learning the playbook, coming to work every day,” Purdy said. “As a quarterback, and really the whole team, we always like young guys that can come in, and they’re willing to do the dirty work to learn and start from the ground up. He’s done that. He’s done everything right.

“Getting out on the field, being able to throw him the ball and seeing his hands, the way he moves, all of it, it’s been good.”

“I think I got to know him really well (during) these (past) two years together before this year,” Shanahan said. “Before that, it was more people I know really well that had worked with him – guys that had worked with him in Seattle, Jacksonville, guys that knew him as a player, guys that could explain to me the type of guy he was and things like that.

“Then his first year here, he was a candidate. I talked to him a lot about possibly being a coordinator. He had just been here one year and I didn’t think he was quite ready for that. Then I could quickly see in Year 2, dealing with him more and watching him take the second year in our defense, just how ready he was. It’s been better than even expected so far.”