Quarterback isn't the only position where there's a three-way battle to be starter. There are also three guys - Jeff Ulbrich, Dontarrious Thomas and Larry Grant - competing for the "ted" inside linebacker spot. Ulbrich is getting the starting reps for now, but I get the impression the 49ers would be ecstatic if Thomas won the position.
I say that for two reasons. First, the ideal "ted" is a big guy who can withstand 16 (and ideally 19) games of pounding. Thomas looks the part. He's a thick, muscular guy who stands 6-2 and weighs about 245 pounds. He's one of those guys who looks like he's wearing shoulder pads under his t-shirt. In other words, his body seems custom made to take on guards and fullbacks.
The second is that Ulbrich is valuable in other places. He's excellent in nickel packages when the defense uses two linebackers (him and Patrick Willis). And he's a demon on special teams. Last year he finished a close second to Michael Robinson in the team's so-called "Top Gun" competition that goes to the best special teamer.
Of course, it won't be easy to unseat Ulbrich. Right now Thomas is catching up on the mental aspects of the position. He played all three linebacker positions in Minnesota's 4-3 scheme, including "sam" linebacker, which is similar to "ted." The 49ers' scheme, however, is more complicated. "Coming here I had to learn how to be patient and slow down," Thomas said. "In a 4-3 scheme, it was mostly gap responsibility. Here there's gap responsibility. But you also have to be able to read the linemen." On passing plays, Minnesota plays a Tampa 2 defense, meaning that Thomas was responsible for dropping back and covering a specific spot on the field. Here he's had to learn route progression and how to read a receiver's body language.
The learning process has been tough, Thomas said, but he's made steady progress since minicamp. He hopes to have the mental aspect of the position down by training camp. Then he'll have to convince coaches he also can master the physical part of the game. When will the competition be over? Last year, the 49ers promoted Willis to the starting lineup on Aug. 20, which gave him two preseason games to get used to playing alongside Derek Smith. I figure Thomas will have to convince the 49ers he has what it takes at "ted" before the team's third preseason game Aug. 21 in Chicago.
What exactly does "ted" do and why have the 49ers been so picky about who plays there? I'll attempt to answer those questions in a story scheduled to run Monday ...
-- Matt Barrows
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