SANTA CLARA — Azeez Al-Shaair’s departure in NFL free agency opened a starting job on the 49ers’ defense.
The 49ers’ strong-side linebacker position, which is on the field only for base and short-yardage situations, is a position in which Oren Burks has established himself as the favorite. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and some new faces offer some stiff competition.
“Consistency across the board is the key for us at all positions,” 49ers defensive coordinator Steve Wilks said. “It's a tight race.”
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Al-Shaair started 31 of the 56 games in which he appeared for the 49ers during his four seasons with the club.
Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, who are the 49ers’ every-down linebackers, are considered among the best in the business. There is competition for which linebacker will join them for approximately one-third of the team’s defensive snaps.
Burks, 28, was next in line for the job after Al-Shaair signed with the Tennessee Titans as a free agent in the offseason.
Burks started three games last season in his first season with the 49ers after four years with the Green Bay Packers. He overtook Flannigan-Fowles on the depth chart after Flannigan-Fowles started two games in 2021. Through two weeks of training camp, Burks appears to be the favorite to win the job.
San Francisco 49ers
“Definitely, the opportunity is there for me at that third spot at linebacker,” Burks said. “For me, I’m excited by that. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity like that for a while, and it’s here.
“I’m focused on every day trying to get better and putting my best self on tape for the coaches to see and get evaluated and compete.”
Flannigan-Fowles and Marcelino McCrary-Ball have made plays during camp. Flannigan-Fowles registered an interception of Trey Lance during practice on Monday. McCrary-Ball spent last season on the 49ers’ practice squad.
“I like the mere fact that when Fred and Greenlaw take a day off, I feel like we're not missing a beat,” Wilks said. “So that's definitely encouraging. I'm excited about the backups and how they’re performing.”
The 49ers attempted to strengthen their depth and special-teams play in the draft with the selections of linebackers Dee Winters and Jalen Graham in the sixth and seventh rounds, respectively.
Winters had an interception of Lance during an 11-on-11 period last week. Winters was the defensive MVP in TCU’s national semifinal victory over Michigan. He ran a blazing 4.49 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine.
The 49ers had Winters and Graham rated similarly in the draft and opted for Winters in the sixth round.
Then, the club grabbed Graham after he was still unchosen when the 49ers had their final pick at No. 255 overall.
“He’s so athletic, and that's what we loved about him coming out of Purdue,” Wilks said of Graham. “[He] could run, could cover in the slot, but he had a couple of plays the other day that were phenomenal for us as far as just being physical, coming downhill on an offensive lineman using his hand.
“So that's always encouraging because that's what we pride ourselves on being a physical defense.”