Despite key losses, Norv Turner still wary of 49ers defense

By foxsports
Published

Regardless of all the 49ers roster turnover in the offseason, Viking head coach Norv Turner isn't underestimating his Week 1 opponent.

“I know people are talking about the players they’ve lost,” Turner said, via the San Jose Mercury News. “But in terms of looking at them, they still have a group of guys that play at a high level, play extremely hard and they don’t give up a lot of big plays."

Perhaps the talk of the offseason was the number of key players the 49ers defensive unit lost.

Patrick Willis, Chris Borland and Justin Smith all retired; Chris Culliver, Perrish Cox and Dan Skuta left in free agency; Aldon Smith was released during training camp. 

But the team regained NaVorro Bowman, who was sidelined the entire 2014 season, and still have All-Pro players Eric Reid and Antoine Bethea.

Even so, it's hard to envision the 49ers defensive unit taking a step up from last season, but Turner believes his offense will be facing a unit that will play hard regardless. 

(h/t San Jose Mercury News)