Niners Believe Thomas Will Come on in a Rush

It's still more than three months until the first real game of 2018, but already the 49ers see a different Solomon Thomas than the one they saw in 2017.The former Stanford defensive lineman, the Niners' No. 1 draft choice last season, had a solid rookie year, playing 14 games, starting 12, and collecting three sacks while getting in on 41 tackles.But with a year of experience and a better understanding of what it takes to succeed — and being much more comfortable with the team's defensive schemes — Thomas is taking some big steps."Even in the meeting room he's a lot more vocal," fellow defensive lineman DeForest Buckner told a writer for the team's website this week, as players go through organized team activities (OTAs). "He interacts with everyone a lot more. Last year he was more shy and reserved. You can see that he's a lot more comfortable round us. On the field it's early and we are still in shorts, but I can see the development from last year to this year."Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh says Thomas will split his time at defensive end and defensive tackle, depending on game situations. Saleh, too, sees Thomas as much more in sync with the system and what's...