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49ers' Robert Saleh on high alert for Jacksonville's legal signal-stealing system

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is on high alert this week before playing Jacksonville.

Saleh said Jaguars coach Liam Coen's staff is “elite” when it comes to stealing defensive signals — in a legal fashion.

“They’ve got legally, a really advanced signal-stealing type system where they always find a way to put themselves in an advantageous situation,” Saleh said Thursday. “They do a great job with it. ... So, we’ve got to be great with our signals and we’ve got to be great with our communication to combat some of the tells that we might give on the field. They’re almost elite in that regard.”

Saleh said many coaches who worked under Sean McVay on the Rams or Kevin O'Connell in Minnesota are skilled at stealing signs. Coen spent four seasons on McVay's staff in Los Angeles while Jaguars offensive coordinator Grant Udinski spent the past three seasons working for O'Connell on the Vikings.

Offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett also comes from Minnesota's staff, while passing game coordinator Shane Waldron spent several seasons with the Rams.

Saleh said he had noticed the opposing offense appearing to know what defensive call was coming last year when he faced Minnesota as coach of the New York Jets and in the past against the Rams.

Saleh said he wasn't sure whether the signs were being stolen from the sideline or by signals given by players on the field, but he believes the staff has a clue of what's coming.

“They always happen to find themselves in good situations based on the coverage you show,” he said. “There’s nothing illegal about it. I’m not suggesting that. It’s just, you can tell that they’ve got a ... system that’s getting them into a very advantageous position. It gets them into a very advantageous position multiple times during the course of a game.”

Brock Purdy nears return

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy was limited at practice again with a toe injury that sidelined him for the past two games. But Purdy is making progress and could be back on the field Sunday if he has no setback later this week.

“It’s been good,” Purdy said. “Really like where I’m at with the progress with it healing up and feeling better and dropping back, throwing and like where I’m at. So it’s been good.”

Purdy wouldn't definitively say he would play Sunday, calling his status “day to day.” Coach Kyle Shanahan was more optimistic in an interview Thursday with flagship radio station KNBR.

“I think (the toe) is feeling better each day and if that continues he should be good on Sunday,” Shanahan said.

Backup Mac Jones was also limited for a second straight day with a knee injury but said he will be able to go Sunday as either the starter or backup.

Receiver Ricky Pearsall returned to practice on a limited basis after sitting out Wednesday with a knee injury, while receiver Jauan Jennings missed practice with an ankle injury that kept him out of last week's game.

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