Robert Saleh Cites 49ers Player With 'Cool Chance' to Start

Competition is the main theme for the San Francisco 49ers on defense.

As many as eight starting spots can be new for them this season. A lot of them can be comprised of rookies.

The 49ers invested the majority of their 2025 draft in defensive players. At least a few rookies will likely become starters, but they’ll have to earn it.

Some rookies have stiffer competition than others, like linebacker Nick Martin. He has to compete with Dee Winters, who has a couple of years on him.

However, Martin was selected by Robert Saleh, so Winters has a bit of an uphill climb ahead of him. That is why, as of now, Winters only has a “cool chance” to start.

“He’s got a cool chance. I know that he's been battling injury and that's kind of hampered his development a little bit,” Saleh said following Day 2 of training camp. “He's also had to sit behind Dre [Greenlaw] and then De’Vondre [Campbell Sr.] came in and he had to sit behind him because he was nursing an injury. And so again just like any young guy, the only way they're going to get better is with reps. 

“And so young guys like Dee, their growth can get stunted when they're sitting on the bench just watching. There's nothing like doing. And so he had an opportunity the last half of last year to get some reps in and it just feels like every day he's learning something again, just through repetition. So, knock on wood, hopefully he can continue to stay healthy and absorb every single one of these reps and learn all the nuance that's required to play linebacker. I think if he does, he's going to be a fun player to watch.”

Saleh sounds a little more upbeat on Winters than he did in OTAs. That’s a bit of a positive for Winters. It could mean his stock has risen.

Still, having a “cool chance” isn’t great at all for him. He’s going to need to impress Saleh once the pads come on to convert his “cool chance” into an excellent chance.

All of the practices so far, dating back to Day 1 of OTAs, have only given ideas of players to Saleh. He won’t know what a player is truly made of until that day comes.

Winters has a chance to separate himself from Martin and become the starter next to Fred Warner. He will need to do it early and consistently.

Otherwise, base defense is going to be his only opportunity to see the field.