SANTA CLARA - Ji’Ayir Brown has been one of the clearest voices this training camp when it comes to what Raheem Morris is asking the 49ers’ defense to do, and the fourth-year safety didn’t hide how much he likes it.
On Monday, Brown described a play in which he ended up in man coverage on a deep over route, slid to his right, chased a tight end into the end zone and got a hand on Brock Purdy’s would-be touchdown throw.
“I ran it down,” Brown said, “and made a play on the ball for the team.”
That moment fit the broader theme around the 49ers’ defense under Morris: less clutter, more reaction. Brown said the new setup gives players room to trust what they see.
“Raheem is dope, bro. Super dope.
He wants football players. Previous schemes we’ve been in hadn’t wanted that,” Brown said.
“Raheem wants you to play football. He wants instinctive players.
He wants guys that can play ball and read the quarterback.”
The results have shown up in camp, where the secondary has been making more plays. Brown pointed to the group around him - Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout and Jack Jones, though Jones sat out Monday’s two-hour practice with general soreness. At safety, Brown and Marques Sigle have taken most of the first-team reps, especially after Malik Mustapha strained a hamstring in last Monday’s second practice.
Brown didn’t stop at praise for the scheme. He called this his best camp with the 49ers so far.
“It’s my favorite camp, honestly, since I’ve been here,” Brown said. “I love the scheme.
I love the teammates I’ve got. I’m comfortable in Year 4.
And I’m having fun, bro. I can’t remember the last time I had this much fun.
“(The scheme) fits more into my strong suits, reading the quarterback, being reactive, letting my instincts take over. That’s what I love about this scheme more than the last schemes I’ve been in; Wilks’ was a lot similar (in 2023).”
Brown, a 2023 third-round pick, is in the final year of his rookie deal, but he said that isn’t where his head is.
“This game is so detailed and one-play focused, your mind has to be on the now,” Brown added.
Morris, the 49ers’ fifth defensive coordinator in as many years, has noticed the same thing Brown has. He calls Brown “Tig” and said the safeties have stood out for both pass defense and their communication with Fred Warner.
“I’m very impressed with the guys being able to pick it up and how much they love football,” Morris said.
The defense wasn’t the only unit dealing with its share of moving parts Monday. Wide receiver Mike Evans missed practice for the first time because of a quadriceps strain and is day-to-day.
He watched part of the session from the sideline after earlier saying on KNBR 680-AM, “I’ve been around some great teams. This stacks up there with one of the best teams I’ve been a part of.
Obviously we have to go prove it and we’re putting in work to do that.”
With De’Zhaun Stribling (hamstring), Christian Kirk (calf) and Ricky Pearsall out, the receiver group was led by Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, Junior Bergen and Jordan Watkins, who caught the final pass of the day.
The defensive line also took a hit when undrafted rookie Mikael Kamara tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and was carted off Saturday. Kamara, 24, spent four years at James Madison before transferring to Indiana in 2024.
There was at least some good news up front. Titus Leo made his practice debut Monday, while Romello Height returned from an elbow issue and C.J. West came back after an undisclosed problem.
Warner also got through a scary-looking moment about an hour into practice. He appeared to bang knees on a Kyle Juszczyk reception, stayed in for the next play, then took a five-minute break before returning, including for field-goal defense.
After practice, Kyle Shanahan addressed the team before introducing Mike Brown, coach of the NBA champion New York Knicks and father of 49ers defensive quality control coach Cameron Brown. Juszczyk said the message hit home.
“That was so cool, just talking about the championship teams he’s been on and how each one had a standard,” Juszczyk said of Brown, an assistant on the Warriors’ 2017, ’18 and ’22 championship teams.
“… That spoke really well to this organization because we’ve always talked about having a standard here,” Juszczyk added. “We have such a great one that when our head coach goes down, everyone understands what that standard is, what is expected from the guy next to them.”
Shanahan has not missed a practice since his July 14 car crash caused a concussion, though he continues to watch from a distance. He first addressed the team Saturday, urging them to protect one another and practice smart after the camp’s first fight.
The red zone work Monday didn’t have the same pop as Saturday’s goal-line sequence, especially without Evans available. Still, the 49ers finished the drill with a Mac Jones touchdown pass to Watkins. Brown and Ephesians Prysock each broke up passes in the 10-play period, while Christian McCaffrey and newcomer Khalil Herbert scored on the ground.
Eddy Piñeiro was sharp early, making all of his field-goal tries before missing wide right from beyond 50 yards. After signing the biggest contract of his career in March - four years, $17 million - Piñeiro said, “I feel there’s always pressure.
I thank God I got the contract I got, but none of that matters. If I keep making kicks, I’ll be here, and if I don’t make kicks, I won’t be here.
… It’s just part of the process. I wish I would have known that faster in my career.”
Defensive linemen Nick Bosa (knee) and Alfred Collins (shoulder) remained out of team drills. Former 49ers quarterback Alex Smith was also at practice ahead of another season as an ESPN studio analyst.
Juszczyk, entering his 14th season, also backed the team’s revised camp schedule, which now includes jog-through days.
“Three days of full-speed football, in today’s age, I don’t know if that makes sense because you never do that in-season,” Juszczyk said.
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