Along with the new addition to the coaching staff, 49ers defensive coordinator Greg Manusky is emphasizing the pass rush during these off-months. The defense was the club's strength a year ago. And with only 30 sacks and the lack of consistent pressure on the quarterback, the 49ers have plenty of room to improve.

"The focus this offseason has been to put pressure on the quarterback and create turnovers," Manusky said today, after the 49ers' final practice of their mandatory minicamp. "Both situations the last two years, we can improve on."

When the 49ers lined up today with their first-team sub package today during a third-down red-zone drill, the defense featured a defensive line of Parys Haralson (left end), tackles Kentwan Balmer and Justin Smith, and Manny Lawson (right end).

Lawson is being counted upon to rush the passer this season.

"With Manny, now that his knee is 100 percent and he's feeling confident in it, we're getting him with the defensive line and rushing as much as he can," Manusky said. "It helps him and benefits him. Last year he was back and forth between rushing at times and being inside linebacker in the sub package."

Lawson is now "strictly in pass-rush mode," Manusky said. Lawson added weight this offseason that Manusky said should give him a better opportunity to be a successful pass-rusher. Earlier this offseason Lawson said he weighed 250 pounds, an increase of 15 pounds from the end of last season. Manusky said all pass-rushers must have a combination of speed and power.

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Manusky answers from questions from the media today following practice. Here are some of the topics he addressed:

--The next step linebacker Patrick Willis can take is learning more about how the offense plans to attack the 49ers. Said Manusky, "I think from the classroom stuff, that's how he can improve: Start calling out plays of what he feels is going to be coming."

--Manusky said Aubrayo Franklin is the team's starting nose tackle. I thought Isaac Sopoaga, who started last season at left end, might get a chance to unseat Franklin. Both Sopoaga and Kentwan Balmer have seen action at nose tackle this offseason. "Across the board, you always want to have a backup player," Manusky said. "We always have rotations across the board. With Kentwan and Isaac doing great jobs behind Aubrayo, from a backup situation, the more players you have at those positions helps you out."

--Safety Michael Lewis has not seen much action this offseason due to an abdominal strain. Manusky said he expects Lewis to begin to do more work at the remaining organized team activities.

--Manusky said he does not want his defense to go full speed all the time during the offseason work. He said he wants the players to go at a "teaching tempo." But he said he wants to see his team knocking down passes, picking passes, stripping the ball and picking up loose balls.

--Veteran Cornerback Dre' Bly, who signed with the club after Walt Harris was lost for the season with a torn knee ligament, is showing he has something left. He still has good burst and speed. Manusky said he's picking up the system very quickly.

--The 49ers finished as the No. 13-ranked defense in the league last season. That number should improve if the 49ers' offense is able to control the ball and the clock like they want to do this season with offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye's power-running game. "I was with Jimmy as a player back in the day in Kansas City," Manusky said. "I know what Jimmy is all about. He's a tough, hard-nosed guy that is going to get things done. I see a lot of success for our offense coming this year. And I'm looking for our defense to keep on improving as well."

--Finally, I asked Manusky about the progress of three defensive players the team selected in the draft. Here's what he had to say:

--Linebacker Scott McKillop (fifth round): He's a smart player. (Guys from Pennsylvania are generally smart, said Manusky, a native of, yep, Pennsylvania.) He's picking up the system well.

--Safety Curtis Taylor (seventh round): He has some skills, and he's making a pretty good transition. "From the calls and the repetitions that he gets, he's doing quite a fine job," Manusky said. It's been good for Taylor's development that Lewis has not practiced much and Mark Roman missed the final two days of minicamp with an illness.

--Defensive end Ricky Jean-Francois (seventh round): The hardest position coming in as a rookie is defensive lineman because it's all technique. Manusky compared him to two other recent 49ers draft picks on the defensive line. "From Ray McDonald, his first year to his second year the improvement he made; Kentwan Balmer from last year to this year. They keep getting better. He will, too. He's got some talent. He's doing what he expects a rookie to do on the defensive line."

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Receiver Michael Crabtree, the team's top pick, was seen running for the first time. He was doing some strides on the team's artificial turf practice field under the watchful eye of five staff members. Crabtree did some easy strides during a session that lasted about 10 minutes. He is scheduled to continue his rehab from surgery in March on a stress fracture in his right foot. The club expects him to be ready to practice on the first day of training camp in late July.

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I wrote a couple days ago that Alex Smith would clearly have to win the competition on the practice field to wrestle the starting QB job away from Shaun Hill. Based on the practice field, Smith does look to have the advantage. But I'm still assuming Smith will have to carry that over to the exhibition games before coach Mike Singletary would make the call to go with Smith over Hill.

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Guard Chilo Rachal missed the last two days of minicamp to because of a personal matter, the club said.

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That's it for today. I promised my mother in law that I'd take the weed whacker to her overgrown backyard. Sounds like a lot of fun, huh?

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