Fred Warner explains unique advantage 49ers defense will have in 2026

Fred Warner is back on the field for the San Francisco 49ers, and he says the defense will look different than the one that took the field without him last season. Warner missed most of last year with a fractured and dislocated ankle, and San Francisco's defense fell from a top-10 unit in yards allowed to 20th in his absence. With Warner back and new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris — San Francisco's fifth coordinator in five years — installing his scheme, Warner previewed a defense built around more disguise and more moving pieces up front. "Being more multiple and different sort of sets personnel-wise that we're bringing out," Warner told Yahoo Sports' Jori Epstein. "We have some more versatility with guys being able to play on the line of scrimmage, off of the ball. Obviously we've always brought a nickel to play on the field, but having an ability to have an extra D lineman, an extra backer or something like that. "It'll kind of be a different look for offenses from what they're accustomed to seeing from us." This tracks similarly to what 49ers cornerback Upton Stout said about Morris' defensive philosophy. The second-year defensive back noted that Morris lets everyone play fast and not worry too much about what they can or cannot do. With a new coordinator, a new scheme wrinkle set and a healthy Warner running the show, San Francisco's defense enters the season with a different look than the one that took the field a year ago. Not only will the coordinator look different, but the team added some new players to the defensive line, such as Osa Odighizuwa and rookies Romello Height and Gracen Halton. This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Fred Warner explains unique advantage 49ers defense will have in 2026