Niners Nation
Your daily San Francisco 49ers news for Tuesday, July 22nd, 2025
49ers training camp storylines to watch: Does Brock Purdy still have anything to prove? (Paywall)
“The 49ers will be on their third weakside linebacker in as many years. In 2023, the job belonged to Greenlaw and the following year De’Vondre Campbell took over for an injured Greenlaw. This year? When the 49ers used an early third-round pick on Martin in April, it seemed the rookie would be earmarked for the role. But that was before Dee Winters stood out during spring practices. The situation creates what might be the best competition of the summer. It’s a battle to see who will replace Greenlaw to become Warner’s every-down partner and a test of whether the 49ers still have a knack for finding quality linebackers in a league that seems to have fewer and fewer each season.”
Kawakami: Five big questions heading into 49ers training camp (paywall)
“I think Shanahan and new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer will go out of their way to make things a little more tense when the kicking sessions begin. As Shanahan suggested had to happen, this is a real competition — Moody knows Joseph could take his job and the coaches want him to feel the pressure in camp and the preseason games. Boyer has already switched the long-snapper and holder. The 49ers have switched the direction of their practice fields, which was long planned but still will change things for Moody.
This will feel different in camp. I’m curious to get a sense of how different it’ll be and how Moody will deal with it….....
I wonder if we’ll get more of Saleh’s personality at news conferences. Starting with Saleh and going through DeMeco Ryans’ tenure and beyond, DCs under Shanahan have been mostly milquetoast — apparently much more worried about possibly irritating Shanahan than providing much detail or back story to reporters. Saleh naturally wasn’t as cautious as the Jets HC. I think the wooing and the big contract should make it easier for Saleh to speak a little more freely this time with the 49ers.
And I think this whole situation might lead to more interesting stuff all around. Saleh and Shanahan had a great, slightly competitive relationship the first stint, and this should only be richer and more productive now that Saleh has lived through the head-coaching life and Shanahan has lived through two lesser DCs.”
Did 49ers’ Lynch and Shanahan blow it by failing to follow our offseason advice? (paywall)
“In January, Lynch and Shanahan were handed a blueprint. Their marching orders: Hurry up and sign quarterback Brock Purdy to a contract extension (Good job, fellas), prioritize keeping free-agent linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Bad job, guys), use their first four draft picks on offensive and defensive linemen (nice try) and make a significant free-agent investment on a cornerback (Sorry, spending under $2 million on Tre Brown doesn’t qualify).”
[49ers well aware that Super Bowl LX is in...
