National Football League

DC Eric Mangini preaches flexibility on defense

Published Jun. 23, 2015 11:51 a.m. ET

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The San Francisco 49ers have lost a lot of key pieces on their defense from last season due to retirement and free agency. Due to that fact, defensive coordinator Eric Mangini knows that it will be crucial for his defense to learn multiple positions and be able to play all over the field. 

Mangini told SI's MMQB that flexibility will be one of the most important factors on the 49ers' defense. 

"Sometimes that’s just a catch phrase," Mangini said, via Sac Bee, "but I grew up that way defensively, and I believe in that, where each week we are going to have challenges we have to deal with, and we have to have the tools and flexibility both physically and mentally to get that done in a very short time frame. So I’m a big believer in building flexibility into the defense, too."

That flexibility that Mangini has been talking about has been evident in OTAs and minicamp. Mangini will move his players around so they can get comfortable at different spots. He wants his players to learn all the different schemes because you never know where you will be needed during the course of an entire NFL season.

"Coach has been throwing us around," cornerback Kenneth Acker said. "So ... you're not going to play in the same position, not play the same side. Some people are inside, some people are outside, some people are at safety. I think we've got a lot of different guys that can do a lot of different things. And coach sees that. He's feeling us out just like we're feeling the positions out."

Mangni will try to find the perfect lineup, but knows having flexibility on a defense will be critical to the Niners success this season.

(h/t Sac Bee)

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