SANTA CLARA – The 49ers made a second-round investment in Tank Carradine in the 2012 draft – knowing he would not contribute as a rookie while he rehabbed from ACL surgery – because of his pass-rush skills.
But, now, Carradine seems to be virtually assured of winning a spot on the 49ers’ 53-man roster because of his play in the run game.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh described Carradine as “damn-near an elite six-technique.” The six-technique is aligned straight-up on the tight end. Saleh compared Carradine (6-foot-4, 270 pounds) to former Seahawks lineman Red Bryant, a key player on a Super Bowl champion who was listed at 6-5, 326.
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“With Tank, when I say ‘elite,’ I’m talking as a run-down, six-technique, someone who just can really dominate his edge and own the line of scrimmage,” Saleh said on the 49ers Insider Podcast on NBC Sports Bay Area.
“He’s a different body type than what Red Bryant was back in the day, but he gets the same result in terms of just knock-back, winning on the edge.”
Carradine has lined up with the 49ers’ first-team defense since the beginning of the offseason program. Rookie Solomon Thomas, the No. 3 overall pick, also plays the 49ers’ “big end” position. Thomas’ strengths are in different areas, which could enable Saleh to maximize production from both players in specialized roles.