SANTA CLARA, Calif. — He's in a two-point stance. He's rushing the quarterback. He's jumping from end to tackle to linebacker.

Newcomer Justin Smith is doing it all for the San Francisco 49ers defense during the opening days of training camp.

"We've got a very good player on our roster and right now were going through a process of really kind of finding what Justin can do," 49ers coach Mike Nolan said Saturday.

The 49ers are doing just about everything possible with Smith during the formative days of camp to maximize the talent of their prized offseason acquisition — a versatile player San Francisco hopes will push its rising defense to the next level.

After losing 2007 starting ends Bryant Young (retirement) and Marques Douglas (free agency) this offseason, the 49ers needed to add a dynamic presence to the front edge of their 3-4 defensive scheme. They expect Smith to fill the void and then some.

San Francisco's biggest need defensively is an improved pass rush, and the team is banking on Smith.

The 49ers gave Smith $20 million in guaranteed money as part of a six-year, $45 million deal to join a defense that has been methodically adding high-priced free agents and high draft picks over recent seasons.

The 49ers plan to move Smith around throughout the front seven of their defense. Smith mostly played right defensive end in Cincinnati's 4-3 defense during his first seven NFL seasons with the Bengals.

But now you will find him everywhere, even at outside linebacker in the 3-4, a new position for Smith that could give him more opportunities to make an impact as a pass rusher.

"It's going to be exciting," Smith said. "That's what I'm going to be doing this year. On every play, I've got three different assignments. I could be in a bunch of different positions. It's fun. I like it. I think it can create a lot of good mismatches for us."

And some good mismatches for Smith. The brawny 285-pounder has been battling on a regular basis with some of the NFL's best offensive tackles throughout his career, but now he'll have an opportunity to come at opponents from several different angles.

That could make Smith one of San Francisco's prime forces in the pass rush and allow him to improve significantly on his career-low two sacks from last season. Smith recorded 41.5 sacks in his first six NFL seasons with 7.5 or more in three of them.

Smith's sack total last year was a result of circumstances in Cincinnati's27th-ranked defense, and Nolan says the 49ers have added a top defender in the prime of his career. Smith was among the NFL leaders among interior linemen with 103 tackles last season, including a career-high 61 solo.

Smith relishes the role of fitting in as a key factor on a defense that could be on the verge of NFL prominence.

"That's why I came here," he said. "I think we're a talented defense. It's everything I thought it would be so far. We have the people in place. Now it's just a matter of getting all the potential on paper on the field. And that's what we're working on. If we can do that, we should be really good."