SANTA CLARA – The 49ers’ defensive line is making the adjustment to life without Justin Smith and Ray McDonald, who were mainstays together at the end positions over the past four seasons.
And nobody understands that more than nose tackle Ian Williams, who now has Glenn Dorsey and Quinton Dial lining up on either side of him in the 49ers’ first-team defesnse.
“You can’t replace Justin Smith or Ray McDonald like that,” Williams said on Sunday. “But you can also have guys who can learn from those two and can play as well as those guys.”
Smith retired in the offseason after his body had broken down in recent seasons to the point he did not practice during weeks of games.