49ers Phase 3 OTAs: Morris preaches “the standard,” Williams locks in, and the NFC West gets louder

The 49ers’ offseason moved into Phase 3 of OTAs with the kind of emphasis coaches usually reserve for the point in spring when work starts resembling actual football. Phase 3 keeps the biggest safety guardrails in place, with live contact still prohibited, but it allows offense-versus-defense periods and full 11-on-11 work. Kyle Shanahan’s stated priority was straightforward: do not get anyone hurt and still get sharper by practicing football full speed within those limits.

Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is arriving at this stage with a clear approach. Morris said he has “a lot of fun” learning what the roster and coaching staff already do well, and he framed his job as implementing additional ideas without trying to overwrite the 49ers’ identity. Defensive passing game coordinator Jerry Gray, who previously worked with Morris, echoed that the focus is less about a new coordinator “stamp” and more about pushing players to win, including by blending what the defense does well with what Morris wants to add.

Morris’ staff has also talked openly about flexibility on the front. Kris Kocurek described an expectation to stay a four-down front team while using multiple looks and potentially mixing in different front counts to keep opponents honest. The point, in Morris’ words, is roles. “Nobody ever gets comfortable,” he said, and the offseason standard becomes about what each player can do to help the team win rather than personal milestones.

On offense, the storyline that carried into Phase 3 was less about schematic experimentation and more about certainty. Left tackle Trent Williams spoke for the first time publicly after agreeing to a two-year extension, saying it was a “load off everybody’s shoulders” once it was finalized early in the spring. Williams suggested the deal likely represents the final contract of his career, while also stressing that he fully expects to play through both years and remain motivated by competition.

That long-term presence matters in a division where the matchup landscape is changing. San Francisco assistant head coach and offensive line coach Chris Foerster reacted during the same Phase 3 reporting window to the Rams’ blockbuster acquisition of Myles Garrett from the Browns. The trade returns Garrett to the NFC West, and Foerster’s takeaway was that the 49ers will now have to handle a pass rush threat that has already shown it can change games. Foerster also noted the Rams’ schedule gravity, with the 49ers and Rams set to meet on Sept. 10 in Melbourne for the season opener and again in Week 14 at Levi’s Stadium.

For the 49ers, the offseason challenge now looks like a balancing act that fits the Phase 3 stage itself. Morris’ “build off the standard” message suggests the defense intends to remain recognizable while adding versatility rather than replacing fundamentals. Williams’ extension, meanwhile, keeps the offensive line’s most experienced anchor in place as the team transitions from installation and evaluation into fuller football drills. And the Garrett trade raises the bar on the kind of defensive discipline the 49ers will need when divisional opponents bring more than one dynamic difference-maker.

What to watch next is how both sides of the ball translate the spring guardrails into execution. Shanahan said the 49ers’ goal in this window is to protect players while still practicing full speed, and the team was scheduled to keep moving through OTAs next week before breaking until training camp. With the Rams adding Garrett and the 49ers continuing Phase 3 work, the early “true football” periods will serve as a real measuring stick for how quickly the coaching points become repeatable habits.