Fred Warner isn’t backing away from the back-and-forth with Cam Ward, and he’s not exactly calling it a bad thing either.
As the 49ers work through joint practices with the Tennessee Titans, the sessions have reportedly been physical, and the chatter between Warner and Ward has become one of the bigger storylines. After Tuesday’s practice, Warner addressed the verbal exchange and made it clear he appreciates that Ward is willing to mix it up.
“He’s one of the few quarterbacks to do that. It’s yet to be determined whether that’s a positive or negative,” Warner said, according to Vic Tafur.
That’s about as candid as it gets. Warner gave Ward credit, but he also left the door open on whether that kind of edge is actually a good idea.
Ward, for his part, has embraced the work that comes with these joint sessions. He told the media that practices like these are valuable for him and the Titans, and he specifically mentioned Warner as the kind of player he wants to test himself against because there’s so much to learn from that matchup.
That’s no small compliment. Warner is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s top linebackers, and his command of the middle of the field is a big reason why.
For San Francisco, Warner’s presence matters even more after the injury scare from last season. He suffered a significant ankle injury in October that ended his year, but he’s back on track and expected to be ready when the 49ers open the season on Sept. 10 against the Los Angeles Rams.
The 49ers are trying to build on a 12-5 finish from last year, a season that ended with a third-place spot in the NFC West and a divisional-round loss to the Seattle Seahawks in the playoffs.
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