SANTA CLARA — Dee Ford, Nick Bosa, Kwon Alexander and Jason Verrett are not the only additions designed to upgrade the 49ers defense this year.
Meet Kris Kocurek and Joe Woods, critical hires as position coaches for the defensive line and secondary, respectively.
Kocurek’s impassioned instructions, complete with F-bombs, are becoming standard affair on the practice fields, while Woods, formerly the Denver Broncos defensive coordinator, is more subdued yet diligent in repairing a sub-par secondary.
All of which should poise defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for his unit’s most success in three seasons since coach Kyle Shanahan hired him.