The San Francisco 49ers have lofty expectations for Jason Verrett, which is exactly why they're slow-playing the veteran cornerback's re-acclimation to a starting role.

Verrett, recovering from an Achilles tear he suffered a year ago, has reportedly been placed on a “pitch count” by the 49ers during the early portions of training camp. Why? As defensive coordinator Robert Saleh tells it, San Francisco is simply ensuring Verrett's return to the field after a full season away from the game builds toward a crescendo as the regular season draws closer and closer.

“We're managing [Verrett] to make sure he doesn't have to be an All-Pro player yet,” Saleh said, per Grant Cohn of the Associated Press. “Just continue to climb the ladder and get better every day. We will continue to increase his workload as (camp) goes on. Excited about where he's at, and he's only going to get better. He hasn't even scratched the surface of what he's capable of.”

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The 49ers have every intention of starting Verrett if he continues his current level of play. On Tuesday, though, they left him at second-string cornerback despite starter Akhello Witherspoon leaving practice early with a minor knee injury, evidence of their commitment to prioritizing the long game in his full-scale recovery from injury.

“I'm working toward that every day,” Verrett said. “It's going to be a marathon getting my feet back under me, but I like the pace I'm at now. My Achilles feels good. It's just about physically being out there and gaining confidence.”

Jason Verrett signed a one-year, $3.6 million deal with San Francisco in March. The oft-injured former former Pro Bowler tore his Achilles tendon during the first practice of training camp last year with the Los Angeles Chargers.