Following the offseason departures of some key defensive linemen, the 49ers are set to rely on several unproven players in the upcoming NFL season -- particularly on the interior .

San Francisco released veteran defensive tackles Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins, while the team selected Alfred Collins and CJ West in the 2025 NFL Draft to fill the hole at that position.

While most of the outside attention has been directed towards those rookies, another defensive tackle, third-year player Kalia Davis , quietly is making a strong case to take on a larger role within Robert Saleh's defense.

After Tuesday's training camp practice , Davis was asked about his reaction to those offseason losses and if it motivated him to take advantage of the resulting opportunity.

"Most definitely,

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