SANTA CLARA, Calif. — 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk said he doesn’t have a problem with reporters constantly asking him about all the notable players his team lost in the offseason.
Instead of being annoyed, Juszczyk uses the opportunity to list all the players the 49ers are returning, which in turn helps dispel the notion that they were gutted this offseason.
Yes, San Francisco parted with Deebo Samuel, Charvarius Ward, Dre Greenlaw, Aaron Banks, Talanoa Hufanga and other key contributors from the past few seasons. But, as Juszczyk reminded reporters on Monday, the 49ers still have Brock Purdy, Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, Fred Warner, Nick Bosa and many other talented players.
“It’s kind of fun for me to remind people,” Juszczyk says. “They’re like, ‘Wow.’ Look how much didn’t change. Look at how many guys that we still have. I think it’s a good point, at least I do. I feel like people when they hear that they’re like, ‘Well, damn, he’s kind of right.’”
Juszczyk also reminded reporters with his play on the field that the 49ers aren’t going anywhere solely because of one down season and a few veteran departures. The nine-time Pro Bowler had perhaps the best play of the 49ers’ first padded practice of the summer when he juked a defender in the middle of the field before making his way to the right sideline for a downfield connection with Purdy. Initially, it appeared Juszczyk was going to be wide open, but it turned into a contested catch because of how quickly Warner made up ground to possibly break up the play.
Warner might be the only linebacker in the league capable of covering that much ground even on a play that wasn’t supposed to involve him. That dynamic play, a battle between two of the best at their respective positions, signified how quickly the 49ers can recover after a disappointing 6–11 2024 season.
San Francisco is counting on many inexperienced players to mesh with the returning core players to possibly do what the past few teams failed to do—win the Super Bowl. The 49ers have high hopes for several players who were added in the past two drafts, including second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall and rookie edge rusher Mykel Williams.
There’s been plenty of chatter about all the star power the 49ers lost in the offseason, but not enough conversation about Robert Saleh, the familiar face that returned to lead the defense after stepping down as Kyle Shanahan’s defensive coordinator to be the head coach of the Jets in 2021.
“He’s definitely evolved, big time,” Juszczyk says about facing Saleh’s defense in practice. “His defense has evolved a lot, but it’s so good to have him here because I think the defense … benefits from his energy and leadership level.”
For a few days, it seemed Juszczyk wasn’t going to get a chance to finish what he started in San Francisco eight years ago when he left the Ravens to sign with the 49ers. He was released in March, but Juszczyk didn’t last long on the team’s lengthy list of departures, rejoining on a two-year, $8 million deal.
Juszczyk described the release as hurtful, but mentioned that the week of not knowing where he’ll play this season gave him a new perspective and provided extra motivation to prove what he’s capable of on a daily basis. It didn’t hurt that the rookies got a glimpse on Monday of what Juszczyk is capable of, even in his 13th NFL season.
“You gotta go out and show that you can still do it,” Juszczyk says. “Every year, there’s a new crop of college players that I’m sure they’ve never seen Kyle Juszczyk make a play before, it’s just the reality of it. To be able to show them, ‘Hey, here’s this 34-year-old that is still making plays on the field.’ It’s definitely a sense of pride for me. It’s something that I try to make a point of every year.”
Best thing I saw: New dad Purdy doesn’t miss a beat
Juszczyk joked that Purdy seems more mature and his dad strength has already kicked in after the 49ers’ signal-caller welcomed his first child, daughter Millie Joleen.
Becoming a dad must have a lot of perks for Purdy, because he put on a show for the team’s first padded practice. Not only did he throw the sideline dime to Juszczyk, but he opened Monday’s practice with a short pass to Kittle that turned into a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown, which drew loud cheers from fans as the speakers blasted Kendrick Lamar’s “Squabble Up.”
Not long after, Purdy found a diving Pearsall in the middle of the field. Purdy also dropped a pass in between two defenders near the right sideline, allowing Russell Gage to complete the acrobatic catch. To end practice, Purdy made a dazzling play while running to his right, finding Jordan Watkins for an explosive completion.
Best thing I heard: Mykel Williams earns respect from Saleh
The best things I heard came from Saleh, who threw cold water on those who got excited about the first time the pads came out for training camp.
“The first padded practice forever has always been the most disappointing day of the year,” Saleh said. “Not to say today wasn’t good or anything, but everyone gets hyped up for pads. I think the guys did a good job protecting one another. They came out, competed. It was a big day from a load standpoint.”
Saleh was a lot more enthusiastic about the potential of Williams, the Georgia edge rusher the team took with the No. 11 pick in this year’s draft.
“Mykel, he’s going to be a hell of a football player,” Saleh said before being asked about Williams working with the first-team defense in practice. “Even if it was a discussion [about Williams working with the starters], it doesn’t take long, just look at him. He’s very powerful, he’s got great hands, he’s got great leverage. He’s got great flexibility to go inside and out. He’s unique in that regard, which is why we were so excited to go up and get him.”
Rookie who impressed: Stout moving up depth chart
The 49ers’ first three draft picks of 2025 have gotten the bulk of the spotlight because Williams, second-round defensive tackle Alfred Collins and third-round linebacker Nick Martin were added to improve the defensive front and provide help for Bosa and Warner.
But the team’s second third-round pick, cornerback Upton Stout, continues to gain attention with each practice due to his competitive playstyle. The feisty 5' 9", 181-pound cornerback made an impressive play when he batted a pass intended for Pearsall.
“We’ve gotta be careful as a coaching staff,” Saleh said when asked about Stout’s development. “You still gotta slow play it, regardless of how smart you feel like they are. There are still a lot of things that they’re learning. You push the envelope, but never too far where he can’t execute his job. That’s the stuff we’re learning, trying to figure out who he is and what he’s capable of and that's really for everybody on the defense.”
Veteran who impressed: Pearsall a big part of 49ers’ offense
Expect Pearsall, the 2024 first-round pick, to be a big focal point of San Francisco’s offense after a rocky rookie season, which started with him getting shot in the chest during an attempted robbery. Purdy often looked in Pearsall’s direction during Monday’s practice.
Song of the day: Tee Grizzley’s “First Day Out”
I think my ears are still ringing from the loud speakers at the 49ers’ practice facility. But I’ll give them a pass because they had a solid playlist, including this energetic song from Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley.
