
SANTA CLARA – After a rough first play enabled the Houston Texans to gain big yards on a running play, 49ers outside linebacker Tank Carradine settled in and impressed his position coach with his play Sunday night.
“When he was activated, he rolled off and attacked the guys in front of him. He had some production on the edges as he went through the game,” 49ers outside linebackers coach Jason Tarver said. “He got better as he went, which was good to see.”
Carradine spent his first three training camps as a defensive tackle after the 49ers selected him in the second round of the 2013 draft. He recorded just four sacks in his first 23 NFL games.
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Now, with a move to outside linebacker, he appears to be in a position that finally suits him. Tarver said he saw a big jump from Carradine when the 49ers practiced against the Texans on Friday.
“He had a really good practice against Houston,” Tarver said. “He was knocking them back. That practice, he was excellent. That was as good as he’s been since I’ve seen him. In the game, he got better as he went.”
Carradine, lining up at left outside linebacker, got sucked inside on a run play that opened a hole for an 11-yard gain shortly after taking the field in Sunday’s game.
“The very first one, he pressed and he should’ve stayed outside,” Tarver said. “He crossed over a little bit. But after that one, he was good on the edges. He was knocking people back and getting extension sooner.”
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Carradine later had a quarterback pressure on third down to force a Houston punt. He was credited with two tackles while playing 21 snaps.
Carradine could figure into the mix for the 49ers defense this season. Starting outside linebacker Aaron Lynch will miss the first four regular-season games while he serves a four-game suspension for a violation of the league’s policy on substances of abuse.