Solomon Thomas, DT

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by NCommand:

I do. I think he'd crush it. Just like in college. He'd destroy the backfield and G's and C's and in the JD film, in the rare opportunities he was allowed inside and the opposition did run, he was very effective in either holding the point or blowing up the running play in the backfield. Now that he's even bigger and stronger, even more so.

Basically, I'd need some actual visual evidence of him getting pancaked on the regular inside before I say, yeah, OK, run D.J. Jones back out there. LOL

270 pound nose tackles aren't a thing and for good reason. Thomas is a DE in base and an interior rusher on passing downs.

If we even run the 1T anymore. Right now Saleh is running Day out there next to Buckner. He's far from a 1T and the ends were Ford and Armstead with Armstead moving inside in nickel replacing Day.

That said, if he's down to 270, he's done here. And it sounded like he was running with the 2's yesterday as a DE and inside like you noted.

I thought he had bulked up to 285-290 which would be perfect for that Day (290) role (i.e. another 3T). But nope. He's done here. Just depth.

Originally posted by genus49:

Originally posted by lamontb:

He's gonna be a back up fellas. AA gonna slide inside next to Buckner in nickel. He'll get a snaps in relief

No he won't. Thomas will play inside in Nickel. We'll see if Armstead can hold the big end spot in base and whether he's even on the roster week 1(very likely a trade candidate along with Blair mostly due to contract length)

AA ended the year moving inside in 4Q last year. He did the same yesterday. Solly is done here. He looks like a 300 snap player now.

Originally posted by Jeepzilla:

Don't feel bad wondering what position these guys will play when our own coaching staff has no clue.

Yesterday was the first insight into that. After the break and personnel discussions, this is the unit they ran out there.

Base:
Ford - Day - Buckner - Armstead

Nickel:
Ford - Armstead - Buckner - Bosa

We will find out if he's done here . His body has been completely transformed. So whatever talent everyone thought he had to be the #3 pick we are gonna find out. He's obviously done everything he can to be the best player he can be.

Originally posted by ayleswbj11:

We will find out if he's done here . His body has been completely transformed. So whatever talent everyone thought he had to be the #3 pick we are gonna find out. He's obviously done everything he can to be the best player he can be.

Yeah Ncommand is fixated on weight. Who cares what the man weighs if he's playing well. It's not like we now need him to play 90% of snaps. We have the luxury of depth this year and would be foolish not to use it.

Having guys you can rotate around and play at multiple positions isin't a bad thing. His abilities from snap to snap will determine if he's done here,...not his weight.

Originally posted by NCommand:

If we even run the 1T anymore. Right now Saleh is running Day out there next to Buckner. He's far from a 1T and the ends were Ford and Armstead with Armstead moving inside in nickel replacing Day.

That said, if he's down to 270, he's done here. And it sounded like he was running with the 2's yesterday as a DE and inside like you noted.

I thought he had bulked up to 285-290 which would be perfect for that Day (290) role (i.e. another 3T). But nope. He's done here. Just depth.

Day and Jones are plenty big to play NT in this defense but all those guys are is space pluggers, they will be 1 to 2 down players max.

Thomas is a 3T. His size is fine to play base DE and move inside on passing downs. He is a better pass rusher than Armstrong so he'll get those snaps in sub. The key is that he won't any longer be a fish out of water playing the edge on passing downs.



I think you'll see a whole lot of Bosa-Buckner-Thomas-Ford upfront in nickel.

Originally posted by Jeepzilla:

Don't feel bad wondering what position these guys will play when our own coaching staff has no clue.

Kocurek doesn't seem like a guy confused on who to play and where.

Originally posted by random49er:

Having guys you can rotate around and play at multiple positions isin't a bad thing. His abilities from snap to snap will determine if he's done here,...not his weight.

Agreed. Hope he can ball out whether he starts or rotates in during games

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by NCommand:

If we even run the 1T anymore. Right now Saleh is running Day out there next to Buckner. He's far from a 1T and the ends were Ford and Armstead with Armstead moving inside in nickel replacing Day.

That said, if he's down to 270, he's done here. And it sounded like he was running with the 2's yesterday as a DE and inside like you noted.

I thought he had bulked up to 285-290 which would be perfect for that Day (290) role (i.e. another 3T). But nope. He's done here. Just depth.

Day and Jones are plenty big to play NT in this defense but all those guys are is space pluggers, they will be 1 to 2 down players max.

Thomas is a 3T. His size is fine to play base DE and move inside on passing downs. He is a better pass rusher than Armstrong so he'll get those snaps in sub. The key is that he won't any longer be a fish out of water playing the edge on passing downs.



I think you'll see a whole lot of Bosa-Buckner-Thomas-Ford upfront in nickel.

I think, as far as our interior rush goes, they see a triumvirate. Remember, in wide 9 nickel you have 2, 3T's. So, if Buckner or Thomas or Armstead are on the field in base, then they're now an every down player, which sounds great but doesn't fit the philosophy of our d-line, which has placed a high importance on fresh bodies in the game. So, no matter what the starting base or nickel, there's going to be one of those guys that they're trying to keep fresh. So, I see Buckner, Thomas and Armstead all rotating at 3T in base and nickel.

Originally posted by jonnydel:

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Originally posted by NCommand:

If we even run the 1T anymore. Right now Saleh is running Day out there next to Buckner. He's far from a 1T and the ends were Ford and Armstead with Armstead moving inside in nickel replacing Day.

That said, if he's down to 270, he's done here. And it sounded like he was running with the 2's yesterday as a DE and inside like you noted.

I thought he had bulked up to 285-290 which would be perfect for that Day (290) role (i.e. another 3T). But nope. He's done here. Just depth.

Day and Jones are plenty big to play NT in this defense but all those guys are is space pluggers, they will be 1 to 2 down players max.

Thomas is a 3T. His size is fine to play base DE and move inside on passing downs. He is a better pass rusher than Armstrong so he'll get those snaps in sub. The key is that he won't any longer be a fish out of water playing the edge on passing downs.



I think you'll see a whole lot of Bosa-Buckner-Thomas-Ford upfront in nickel.

I think, as far as our interior rush goes, they see a triumvirate. Remember, in wide 9 nickel you have 2, 3T's. So, if Buckner or Thomas or Armstead are on the field in base, then they're now an every down player, which sounds great but doesn't fit the philosophy of our d-line, which has placed a high importance on fresh bodies in the game. So, no matter what the starting base or nickel, there's going to be one of those guys that they're trying to keep fresh. So, I see Buckner, Thomas and Armstead all rotating at 3T in base and nickel.

I see it this way too. AA clearly has the inside track in nickel next to Buckner but Thomas will rotate in there as well between the 3. The problem is I highly doubt he's going to get much run at all in base end between Ford, Bosa and AA out there. They are going to always want at least 1 potential ER on the field every down in case of pass.

In short, my guess is he'll continue to run with the 2's and be mostly interior depth inside for nickel. A few snaps at end in base. He had 644 snaps last year and that was with heavy SNICKEL (run defense focus) packages.

This year, I'm guessing 300-400. Depth player. Injury insurance.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

Day and Jones are plenty big to play NT in this defense but all those guys are is space pluggers, they will be 1 to 2 down players max.

Thomas is a 3T. His size is fine to play base DE and move inside on passing downs. He is a better pass rusher than Armstrong so he'll get those snaps in sub. The key is that he won't any longer be a fish out of water playing the edge on passing downs.



I think you'll see a whole lot of Bosa-Buckner-Thomas-Ford upfront in nickel.

This

Originally posted by Cisco0623:

Originally posted by ayleswbj11:

We will find out if he's done here . His body has been completely transformed. So whatever talent everyone thought he had to be the #3 pick we are gonna find out. He's obviously done everything he can to be the best player he can be.

Yeah Ncommand is fixated on weight. Who cares what the man weighs if he's playing well. It's not like we now need him to play 90% of snaps. We have the luxury of depth this year and would be foolish not to use it.

I'm the least focused on size as it's about strength, technique, athleticism and play recognition/feel. I'd still line him up as an every down 3T next to Buckner (3T/1T) until he proves he's a liability against the run. Like Cossell said, size doesn't really matter inside anymore in today's game. Others in here are far more focused on weight/size.

Originally posted by jonnydel:

I think, as far as our interior rush goes, they see a triumvirate. Remember, in wide 9 nickel you have 2, 3T's. So, if Buckner or Thomas or Armstead are on the field in base, then they're now an every down player, which sounds great but doesn't fit the philosophy of our d-line, which has placed a high importance on fresh bodies in the game. So, no matter what the starting base or nickel, there's going to be one of those guys that they're trying to keep fresh. So, I see Buckner, Thomas and Armstead all rotating at 3T in base and nickel.

I agree that there will be a pretty steady rotation. I think you'll see Bosa and Ford get some snaps in base as well. It definitely won't be like the Fangio days with four guys getting crazy high snaps. Between Buckner, Thomas, Armstrong, Street, Blair, Bosa and Ford there will be a lot of rotation.

Originally posted by NCommand:

AA ended the year moving inside in 4Q last year. He did the same yesterday. Solly is done here. He looks like a 300 snap player now.

Disagree...I see all of Buck/AA/Thomas getting snaps at 3-tech and rotating more this season. Fresh bodies. AA is more than likely gone after this season so to say solly is done here is a bit premature imo.

I also think ST is a better pass rusher than AA