Golden Nuggets: Josh Norman’s intelligence praised by the 49ers coaching staff

Your daily San Francisco 49ers links for Saturday, September 11, 2021

We are one day away from the start of the 49ers’ regular season. The drama has already started as it’s unlikely starters Javon Kinlaw or Emmanuel Moseley play. Based on what Josh Norman said Friday after practice, it seems as though Demmodore Lenoir would start.

I did find it interesting when Norman said San Francisco had been courting him for 2-3 months. He must’ve been the team’s emergency plan in case of an injury.

49ers DC DeMeco Ryans a ‘father figure’ to players, future ‘phenomenal’ HC to rival coach

He wasn’t there to make money; he was there to make a difference. Initially he worked with the junior varsity, but quickly graduated to the varsity squad. He wanted to keep it simple, maybe teach them some broad, generic concepts, then move on. But Ryans has never been about doing the minimum. He excelled as a player in part because of his willingness to go beyond what was expected, in the meeting room and on the practice field. So, it came as no shock when he expanded his teachings.

“I found myself up at 10 and 11 at night, drawing up plays, thinking about ways to help these guys,” Ryans said. “I probably got a notebook full of stuff; I was drawing up all kinds of things.”

He stopped and laughed.

“I got drawn in,” he continued. “I thought it was going to be so easy — let the kids run a little Cover 2, you know? But I got so into it that I was like, no! I started giving the kids little tests to take home. I went all in.”

Penei Sewell preparing to play LT, content to cede position when Taylor Decker returns

“I’m definitely right tackle (when Decker comes back),” Sewell said. “I look up to him, he’s like a role model to me and that’s that.”

“Yesterday we started thinking about this and luckily we’ve got a lot of flexibility,” Campbell said. “We’ve got some options we’re going to play with.”

Playing Sewell at left tackle seems like the most likely of those options, though the Lions are weighing whether a switch back to the left side would hinder the progress he has made at his new position.

49ers could turn to Norman with Moseley not expected to play

“I’m here to win a championship,” Norman said Friday afternoon before the club departed for Detroit.

Norman, rookie Deommodore Lenoir and Dontae Johnson are candidates to start in place of Moseley, who did not practice this week due to a knee injury. The 49ers would have to elevate Johnson from the practice squad on Saturday in order for him to be available to play against the Lions.

49ers, Lynch still believe in Hurd despite latest injury setback

“Disappointed to be certain because it’s been a long journey for Jalen,” general manager John Lynch told KNBR’s “Murph and Mac.” ”Year one was a stress fracture in his back that sidelined him for the year. Last year, right before the season, we had kind of been ramping him up, and bam, he goes and tears his ACL right before the year. So, that was disappointing.

“Now, we get him back, and he’s had some bumps in the road, and as those things do, [his knee] flared up at the wrong time. It was during training camp. But then he came back and got healthy.”

When 49ers will wear 1994 throwback jerseys this season

The 49ers will wear the popular white 1994 throwbacks for these two road games:

-Dec. 5 vs. Seattle Seahawks

-Dec. 23 vs. Tenessee Titans

New to the rotation is the all-red 1994 throwback jersey. They will wear those for these four home games:

-Sept. 26 vs. Green Bay Packers

-Oct. 24 vs. Indianapolis Colts

-Nov. 15 vs. Los Angeles Rams

-Dec. 19 vs. Atlanta Falcons

Josh Norman’s intelligence praised by 49ers coaching staff

“Josh has been working well and we’ve had him here for a couple days,” Ryans said. “He’s been learning. He’s been doing a really good job. You can tell (he’s a) vet who’s been around a for while and knows a lot of ball — very smart player, instinctive player. He’s made plays in this league since he first came into the league, so (I’m) excited to add some veteran depth to our corner position.”