DL DeForest Buckner

DL DeForest Buckner

Press Conference – January 16, 2020

San Francisco 49ers

When you guys had DL Dee Ford and DL Nick Bosa lining up next to each other, what does that do for you guys on the other side?

“Yeah, having two guys that can rush the passer on each side, I mean, it’s pretty much the interior guys’ dream. Those offensive tackles got to really kick out. Offensive coordinators, they can’t really pick really who to double. You’ve got to pick and choose your battles, and if one guy is getting doubled or getting a lot more attention than the other, then the other guys are going to be able to reap the benefits, and being able to have [DL] Dee [Ford] back kind of opened a lot of that up this past week when we played the Vikings.”

Having Ford and Bosa line up next to each other a couple times?

“Yeah, like the change-up and everything with having them on one side of the line, just to mess around with offensive linemen. I like to think offensive linemen, they’re creatures of habit, so when they see the same guy over and over and over again, they can really get comfortable in knowing how to set against a certain person. But when you change it up and you put somebody different standing up, somebody like Dee, over a guard, they kind of freeze up, and they’re like, ‘Oh, I haven’t seen this guy all day.’ Dee is so fast that he can get on the edge real quick in that tiny space. Just being able to change it up, change up the looks against all the offensive linemen, being able to move guys around is really effective.”

Who’s the next fastest guy off the ball outside of Ford?

“The next fastest guy off the ball? Honestly I would like to say [DL] Solomon [Thomas]. Yeah, you see clips, we always watch it throughout practice and everything, and he’s almost the No. 1 guy off the ball almost every time, know what I mean, just getting off the rock. I’d say second to Dee would be Solly.”

On a play last game where Solomon Thomas got in there quick?

“Yeah, I mean, Solomon is a very explosive player. 3rd down, he can rush the passer, and also in the run game, especially going against guards, getting on them quick, and he’s a strong dude. So, when he has leverage, he’s scary to see inside.”

Was there a particular moment with regard to Nick Bosa early on that you realized how special he’s going to be?

“Yeah, I mean, him coming out, I kind of watched some of his film, and also really throughout training camp, seeing him just get better each and every day, obviously he was a little rusty when he first came in, OTAs and everything because he didn’t play in, what, about a year and a half maybe. Seeing him progress throughout training camp and then coming out, starting off the season hot, he’s just been a special player to watch.”

In this division, in the NFC West, you’ve faced some mobile quarterbacks. In what ways is Green Bay Packers QB Aaron Rodgers different?

“Yeah, he still can extend plays. Obviously getting outside the pocket. He’s really good in the pocket with knowing where the rush is at, and trying to — getting out of the way and everything. So, he can make guys miss and also get outside the pocket and make you pay, kind of like [Seattle Seahawks QB] Russell Wilson does. We just need to kind of really go- really take it one play at a time and go with the same mindset we had the last time we played them and also last week. I felt like the guys took it personal, telling themselves that they weren’t going to be blocked. We have to have that same mindset going into this game.”

Do you have any particular memories of watching Rodgers play?

“No, I mean, really just a couple years ago, I think when they were playing- it might have been Detroit or someone, when he threw that Hail Mary for a touchdown to seal the game, just little things like that. It’s funny because we used to call it, my coach from last year would call it the wrist flick from hell. He would get that little — kind of like avoiding rushers and everything and just- you see that wrist flick, and you’re like, ‘Oh, Lord, know what I mean? You know somebody is going to come down with it.’ Yeah, he’s just a special player.”

Who coined that phrase?

“It was [former defensive line coach Jeff] Zgonina last year. He would say that when we were watching film.”