Niner News Thread
- Thread starter Chree
- Start date
As he watches from the sidelines, the consensus from media observers is that Derrick Hamilton is a goner the moment he’s healthy enough to pass a physical. But that won’t be for a while. Nolan said Hamilton – out since the opening day of camp with a hamstring injury – won’t practice the rest of this week and remains out indefinitely.
“And if that changes,” Nolan said, “I’ll bring his name up. From here on out, let’s wait because it will be a while before I talk about him.”
“And if that changes,” Nolan said, “I’ll bring his name up. From here on out, let’s wait because it will be a while before I talk about him.”
some notes and observations from the training camp that took place on Friday, August 4th. This was a non-padded practice and the one before the team scrimmage which will be held tomorrow afternoon.
- One of the most positive trends I’ve noticed this year compared to last year, with a week of camp under the belt, is the difference in the style of offense we’re running. Folks, Norv Turner’s offense looks to be everything many 49er fans have been clamoring for ever since the 2000 season, at least from the looks of what they’re doing on training camp. While execution will depend solely on the progression of the young players we have, the way in which we’re playing offense is so much more aggressive and open compared to last year. The progressions in passing, where WRs are running deeper down the field and the variety of routes that belong to the RBs, WRs, and TEs is a breath of fresh air.
- One person who looks really good in those receiving progressions is Bryan Gilmore. He stood out again today and made some nice catches. Again, Arnaz Battle did not practice, so we’ve had a chance to see a lot of Gilmore, and he’s looking very reliable out there.
- Marcus Maxwell also had a nice practice today, after being catchless on Wednesday’s afternoon practice session. Today the WRs and DBs were working on one on one drills against one another, and they were being aggressive. The referees were there to show the players what they could and could not get away with while defending. Whenever Marcus Maxwell went up against a DB, he was able to use his size to out position the defensive back, shake loose, or make a move and get open in the middle of the field. Very solid work.
- Derrick Johnson, a CB competing for nickle and dime situations, looked fairly solid going up against the 2nd and 3rd string WRs. He had a pass break up early on in practice where he jumped the route and got his hands in front of the WR. However, whenever he went up against Antonio Bryant, he would only get a finger’s worth of contact on Bryant before Bryant used his power to blow by him and get open. So if Johnson wants to move up on the depth chart, he better work against Bryant a bit more and get better at defending him.
– One defender who had no problem going up against Antonio Bryant was Sammy Davis, the CB from San Diego that we picked up from Rashaun Woods. Let me first say, wow is it nice to have a player like Sammy, who looks energized during every practice session and going at 100%, compared to Rashaun Woods lugging around the place like he did last year. Davis had one of the highlights of the day. On a play where Bryant ran to the middle of the field, Sammy Davis came flying in and made some great contact on Bryant (for an unpadded session). Not only did Bryant drop the pass, but Sammy then did an alligator motion with his hands after he broke up the pass, suggesting that Bryant was scared to go over the middle due to Sammy’s presence. It’s refreshing to see a CB with attitude on the field like that, as we really haven’t had one for a long time.
– His counterpart, Mike Rumph, has not been nearly that aggressive. In fact, if the season started today, my 3 CBs just based on camp observations would be Spencer, Harris, and Davis.
- Chad Williams, the safety we signed from the Ravens, also got to show his stuff. He went up against several WRs on drills and looked fairly solid considering he was a strong safety.
– Vernon Davis maybe slow to learn the offense, but he’s quick to make plays. When the team was practicing red zone offense with passes to the TEs, VD made several great catches. On one play, Shaun Hill threw a high pass that was destined to go over the heads of everyone. VD leaped up and grabbed it. He then took the ball, held in the air, and proceeded to pump up the crowd and show the defense that he had scored. That was the 2nd time he did that today. The last time I saw an offensive player that practiced with that kind of intensity and showmanship during practice, his name was Terrell Owens.
– Not to be outdone, Billy Bajema had a beautiful catch in the endzone himself, towards the end of practice.
– The inconsistency of Alex Smith continued today. While he looked fairly settled the previous two days in practice, Smith was a bit off today. While it wasn’t particularly terrible performance wise, some of his throws today made the WRs look better than they should have while catching those passes. He also needs to go through his progressions a lot faster. Sometimes, he would drop back and wait for a long time before finally getting the ball out. In a game situation, that would be a sack as you don’t get that much time to throw the football. His delivery speed has improved, but Alex still needs to work on his reads.
- Jerry Sullivan, taking over as playcaller for Norv Turner who was in Canton today, looked very intense out there. He was yelling at players at really coaching them up on technique when they made a mistake.
- Delanie Walker looks very fast coming out of the backfield. The TEs and FBs typically run drills together. When the team was working on quick, hitch routes for the TEs, Delanie was able to get off the line on the snap, run, and turn and did this all with an easy, and quick motion. Only Vernon Davis looked faster.
– Eric Johnson continues to look like a reliable pass catcher out there. He doesn’t possess the explosion that VD shows, nor the physical prowess. However, he’s always flying through the middle of the field and getting open in practice which is reminiscent of what he did in 2004 when he caught 80+ receptions.
- Punt Battle Update: Tom Rouen had the punt of the day today when he hit one that went seemingly 75-80 yards, all in the air. Aside from that punt, Andy Lee proved to be more consistent and had a 75 yarder of his own…albeit on a bounce.
– It feels so good to have a punt returner who doesn’t bobble the ball during practice. I’m speaking of Brandon Williams.
- Tomorrow is the team scrimmage. That will give a great indication of several players I did not mention today (such as the LB crew and the offensive linemen), as it is difficult to make too much of these players without the contact and pads.
- One of the most positive trends I’ve noticed this year compared to last year, with a week of camp under the belt, is the difference in the style of offense we’re running. Folks, Norv Turner’s offense looks to be everything many 49er fans have been clamoring for ever since the 2000 season, at least from the looks of what they’re doing on training camp. While execution will depend solely on the progression of the young players we have, the way in which we’re playing offense is so much more aggressive and open compared to last year. The progressions in passing, where WRs are running deeper down the field and the variety of routes that belong to the RBs, WRs, and TEs is a breath of fresh air.
- One person who looks really good in those receiving progressions is Bryan Gilmore. He stood out again today and made some nice catches. Again, Arnaz Battle did not practice, so we’ve had a chance to see a lot of Gilmore, and he’s looking very reliable out there.
- Marcus Maxwell also had a nice practice today, after being catchless on Wednesday’s afternoon practice session. Today the WRs and DBs were working on one on one drills against one another, and they were being aggressive. The referees were there to show the players what they could and could not get away with while defending. Whenever Marcus Maxwell went up against a DB, he was able to use his size to out position the defensive back, shake loose, or make a move and get open in the middle of the field. Very solid work.
- Derrick Johnson, a CB competing for nickle and dime situations, looked fairly solid going up against the 2nd and 3rd string WRs. He had a pass break up early on in practice where he jumped the route and got his hands in front of the WR. However, whenever he went up against Antonio Bryant, he would only get a finger’s worth of contact on Bryant before Bryant used his power to blow by him and get open. So if Johnson wants to move up on the depth chart, he better work against Bryant a bit more and get better at defending him.
– One defender who had no problem going up against Antonio Bryant was Sammy Davis, the CB from San Diego that we picked up from Rashaun Woods. Let me first say, wow is it nice to have a player like Sammy, who looks energized during every practice session and going at 100%, compared to Rashaun Woods lugging around the place like he did last year. Davis had one of the highlights of the day. On a play where Bryant ran to the middle of the field, Sammy Davis came flying in and made some great contact on Bryant (for an unpadded session). Not only did Bryant drop the pass, but Sammy then did an alligator motion with his hands after he broke up the pass, suggesting that Bryant was scared to go over the middle due to Sammy’s presence. It’s refreshing to see a CB with attitude on the field like that, as we really haven’t had one for a long time.
– His counterpart, Mike Rumph, has not been nearly that aggressive. In fact, if the season started today, my 3 CBs just based on camp observations would be Spencer, Harris, and Davis.
- Chad Williams, the safety we signed from the Ravens, also got to show his stuff. He went up against several WRs on drills and looked fairly solid considering he was a strong safety.
– Vernon Davis maybe slow to learn the offense, but he’s quick to make plays. When the team was practicing red zone offense with passes to the TEs, VD made several great catches. On one play, Shaun Hill threw a high pass that was destined to go over the heads of everyone. VD leaped up and grabbed it. He then took the ball, held in the air, and proceeded to pump up the crowd and show the defense that he had scored. That was the 2nd time he did that today. The last time I saw an offensive player that practiced with that kind of intensity and showmanship during practice, his name was Terrell Owens.
– Not to be outdone, Billy Bajema had a beautiful catch in the endzone himself, towards the end of practice.
– The inconsistency of Alex Smith continued today. While he looked fairly settled the previous two days in practice, Smith was a bit off today. While it wasn’t particularly terrible performance wise, some of his throws today made the WRs look better than they should have while catching those passes. He also needs to go through his progressions a lot faster. Sometimes, he would drop back and wait for a long time before finally getting the ball out. In a game situation, that would be a sack as you don’t get that much time to throw the football. His delivery speed has improved, but Alex still needs to work on his reads.
- Jerry Sullivan, taking over as playcaller for Norv Turner who was in Canton today, looked very intense out there. He was yelling at players at really coaching them up on technique when they made a mistake.
- Delanie Walker looks very fast coming out of the backfield. The TEs and FBs typically run drills together. When the team was working on quick, hitch routes for the TEs, Delanie was able to get off the line on the snap, run, and turn and did this all with an easy, and quick motion. Only Vernon Davis looked faster.
– Eric Johnson continues to look like a reliable pass catcher out there. He doesn’t possess the explosion that VD shows, nor the physical prowess. However, he’s always flying through the middle of the field and getting open in practice which is reminiscent of what he did in 2004 when he caught 80+ receptions.
- Punt Battle Update: Tom Rouen had the punt of the day today when he hit one that went seemingly 75-80 yards, all in the air. Aside from that punt, Andy Lee proved to be more consistent and had a 75 yarder of his own…albeit on a bounce.
– It feels so good to have a punt returner who doesn’t bobble the ball during practice. I’m speaking of Brandon Williams.
- Tomorrow is the team scrimmage. That will give a great indication of several players I did not mention today (such as the LB crew and the offensive linemen), as it is difficult to make too much of these players without the contact and pads.
Report from the team scrimmage 8/5/06
– The practice opened up with some stretching and basic position drills. Then the coaches added in defenses accordingly, before the team actually began to scrimmage.
– The scrimmage saw the first team offense go against the second team defense for about a drive. Then the second team offense went up against the first team defense for another drive. Jessie Palmer and Shaun Hill lead a 3rd/4th string offense against the 2nd string D with some 3rds mixed in there to close out the practice.
– Vernon Davis had the highlight of the day and got the entire crowd on its feet with a beautiful catch on a seam route. He split the LBs, ran straight up the middle, and Alex Smith hit him in stride.
– Mike Rumph was burned by Antonio Bryant (I believe) today. He did look to be a hard hitter every now and then on shorter routes, but in coverage, Rumph was giving up a big cushion and that was kind of shakey.
– Our big, Norv Turner back might have been found. Unfortunately, it’s not Kevan Barlow. The man I’m referring to is Michael Robinson. Robinson showed a beautiful and amazingly quick burst when taking the hand off. He also was able to run up the middle and come out the other end on more than one occassion today. It was a very impressive showing for him. He even managed to protect Jessie Palmer and pick up the blitz today, showing off his blocking skills. I’d still like to see Robinson get lower when he runs, but this guy really stood out today and could be a perfect complement to Frank Gore.
– Frank Gore practiced hard today. He didn’t burst off any big gains up the middle, but he managed to hold on to a difficult pass in the middle of the end zone during drills, when contact was apparent.
– Kevan Barlow; however, looked somewhat lethargic today while running the football. He still looks like he’s jogging when he gets the carry initially, and he really didn’t go anywhere. His best run of the day amassed maybe 3-4 yards, and other than that, he was being stuffed by the 2nd team defense.
– One person who was responsible for that stuffing was Issac Sopoaga. Wow, talk about immovable objects. This guy was a rock out there today. He was underneath so many piles and basically eating space. If he shows even a fraction of that kind of promise when the games count, we may have a bonafied NT that is needed for the 3-4.
– Another defensive lineman that stood out was #96, Melvin Oliver. On the very first play in scrimmage, he came swooping in from the side with great speed and took Frank Gore for a ride down to the turf.
– Parys Haralson took some time to build up, but by the end of practice, he showed a real knack for closing in on the person who held on to the football. I would have liked to see a bit more from him pass rushing wise, but in terms of closing space quickly, Haralson was there and making plays, which was nice.
– The best pass rusher out there looked to be Corey Smith. He was in on several plays, and showed a ton of speed. This guy is picking up exactly where he left off last pre-season, and could be one of those players that really stands out on pass rushing situations.
– Manny Lawson looked fast out there. But like Haralson, I’d like to see a bit more from him pass rushing wise. When I took a look at him, he was being blocked. It wasn’t really an issue of technique or athleticism. He just needs to learn the offensive lineman’s tendency a bit more.
– Brandon Williams showed his toughness. He made a catch on the sidelines and was popped by a defender. He got back up though. He also showed how lethal he can be from the slot, as he was wide open in the middle of the field and made a big catch, which was nice.
– Kwame Harris and Adam Snyder switched off at RT on the first and second string quite a bit. Adam Snyder looked to add more of a presence. He was huge and had a mean streak going for him. However, Kwame Harris didn’t look to do anything particularly terrible either. There were no holding calls thrown by the refs on his part today.
– Marcus Maxwell; however, was called on offensive pass interference against Sammy Davis.
– Shawntae Spencer looked really good out there. He had a nice pass break up and played a fairly solid game. The only passes he gave up were shorter routes underneath.
– Alex Smith looked a lot more confident running the first string offense. Of course, he still had his miscues from time to time. But in terms of knowing what to do and at least making an effort to the throw the ball where it should be, he was there. He did not look like a deer in the headlights like last year during this scrimmage.
– Moran Norris, the FB we picked up from the Texans, looks massive. He could be a factor in the run game as a blocker.
– Delanie Walker really impressed today as well. He showed to be a very solid target coming out of the backfield. Jessie Palmer routinely went to him as an outlet.
– Players that did not participate in the scrimmage included Larry Allen, Arnaz Battle, and Bryant Young.
– The more and more Arnaz Battle sits out, the more impressive Bryan Gilmore looks as the #2 WR…
– The practice opened up with some stretching and basic position drills. Then the coaches added in defenses accordingly, before the team actually began to scrimmage.
– The scrimmage saw the first team offense go against the second team defense for about a drive. Then the second team offense went up against the first team defense for another drive. Jessie Palmer and Shaun Hill lead a 3rd/4th string offense against the 2nd string D with some 3rds mixed in there to close out the practice.
– Vernon Davis had the highlight of the day and got the entire crowd on its feet with a beautiful catch on a seam route. He split the LBs, ran straight up the middle, and Alex Smith hit him in stride.
– Mike Rumph was burned by Antonio Bryant (I believe) today. He did look to be a hard hitter every now and then on shorter routes, but in coverage, Rumph was giving up a big cushion and that was kind of shakey.
– Our big, Norv Turner back might have been found. Unfortunately, it’s not Kevan Barlow. The man I’m referring to is Michael Robinson. Robinson showed a beautiful and amazingly quick burst when taking the hand off. He also was able to run up the middle and come out the other end on more than one occassion today. It was a very impressive showing for him. He even managed to protect Jessie Palmer and pick up the blitz today, showing off his blocking skills. I’d still like to see Robinson get lower when he runs, but this guy really stood out today and could be a perfect complement to Frank Gore.
– Frank Gore practiced hard today. He didn’t burst off any big gains up the middle, but he managed to hold on to a difficult pass in the middle of the end zone during drills, when contact was apparent.
– Kevan Barlow; however, looked somewhat lethargic today while running the football. He still looks like he’s jogging when he gets the carry initially, and he really didn’t go anywhere. His best run of the day amassed maybe 3-4 yards, and other than that, he was being stuffed by the 2nd team defense.
– One person who was responsible for that stuffing was Issac Sopoaga. Wow, talk about immovable objects. This guy was a rock out there today. He was underneath so many piles and basically eating space. If he shows even a fraction of that kind of promise when the games count, we may have a bonafied NT that is needed for the 3-4.
– Another defensive lineman that stood out was #96, Melvin Oliver. On the very first play in scrimmage, he came swooping in from the side with great speed and took Frank Gore for a ride down to the turf.
– Parys Haralson took some time to build up, but by the end of practice, he showed a real knack for closing in on the person who held on to the football. I would have liked to see a bit more from him pass rushing wise, but in terms of closing space quickly, Haralson was there and making plays, which was nice.
– The best pass rusher out there looked to be Corey Smith. He was in on several plays, and showed a ton of speed. This guy is picking up exactly where he left off last pre-season, and could be one of those players that really stands out on pass rushing situations.
– Manny Lawson looked fast out there. But like Haralson, I’d like to see a bit more from him pass rushing wise. When I took a look at him, he was being blocked. It wasn’t really an issue of technique or athleticism. He just needs to learn the offensive lineman’s tendency a bit more.
– Brandon Williams showed his toughness. He made a catch on the sidelines and was popped by a defender. He got back up though. He also showed how lethal he can be from the slot, as he was wide open in the middle of the field and made a big catch, which was nice.
– Kwame Harris and Adam Snyder switched off at RT on the first and second string quite a bit. Adam Snyder looked to add more of a presence. He was huge and had a mean streak going for him. However, Kwame Harris didn’t look to do anything particularly terrible either. There were no holding calls thrown by the refs on his part today.
– Marcus Maxwell; however, was called on offensive pass interference against Sammy Davis.
– Shawntae Spencer looked really good out there. He had a nice pass break up and played a fairly solid game. The only passes he gave up were shorter routes underneath.
– Alex Smith looked a lot more confident running the first string offense. Of course, he still had his miscues from time to time. But in terms of knowing what to do and at least making an effort to the throw the ball where it should be, he was there. He did not look like a deer in the headlights like last year during this scrimmage.
– Moran Norris, the FB we picked up from the Texans, looks massive. He could be a factor in the run game as a blocker.
– Delanie Walker really impressed today as well. He showed to be a very solid target coming out of the backfield. Jessie Palmer routinely went to him as an outlet.
– Players that did not participate in the scrimmage included Larry Allen, Arnaz Battle, and Bryant Young.
– The more and more Arnaz Battle sits out, the more impressive Bryan Gilmore looks as the #2 WR…
We have heard that the 49ers are keeping a close watch on the whole Ashley Lelie situation. Word is the Niners do infact have interest in Lelie, but the asking price is to high at this time. If the Broncos drop the asking price, which at this time is a 3rd rounder, the Niners will certainly become a player in the Lelie trade talks. The 49ers believe Lelie can help the WR corps.
yeah alotta ppl too lazy to go see, so i post up the new shit from there and other sources49ers | Newberry's career could be over
Mon, 7 Aug 2006 17:44:49 -0700
The Associated Press reports San Francisco 49ers C Jeremy Newberry (knees) acknowledged Monday, Aug. 7, that his career could very well be in jeopardy, as he still suffers from pain in both knees following offseason surgery. "I'm concerned about it, definitely," Newberry said. "I keep waiting for my legs to feel better. I keep waiting to wake up and not feel so bad, but it hasn't happened yet. ... I hope my legs get back to how they were feeling when I first came in, just so I can get around."
Mon, 7 Aug 2006 17:44:49 -0700
The Associated Press reports San Francisco 49ers C Jeremy Newberry (knees) acknowledged Monday, Aug. 7, that his career could very well be in jeopardy, as he still suffers from pain in both knees following offseason surgery. "I'm concerned about it, definitely," Newberry said. "I keep waiting for my legs to feel better. I keep waiting to wake up and not feel so bad, but it hasn't happened yet. ... I hope my legs get back to how they were feeling when I first came in, just so I can get around."
8-7-06 camp notes
1) Sammy Davis ran the entire practice with the first string. Mike Rumph ran the entire practice with the twos….. Perhaps this was a change after Saturday’s scrimmage?? Davis looked good this afternoon, breaking up several passes and generally blanketing receivers.
2) BJ Tucker injured his ankle breaking up a pass early in practice. He went to the sideline, got it taped, and sat out the rest of practice. We’ll have to see if it causes him to miss a few days of practice.
3) Derrick Hamilton is limping very noticeably and looks to be nowhere close to returning.
4) Bryan Gilmore looked terrible today (though he’s looked good in previous practices). He must have dropped 4-5 passes, including a couple that hit him right in the hands. He also did not show the breakaway speed he is supposed to have – on several long pass attempts, he got no separation at all. Sure hope he was nicked or having an off day. You wouldn’t want a number three guy who looked like he did today.
5) Eric Johnson looked very good, making a couple of great grabs in traffic.
6) Eric Johnson and Vernon Davis are both regulars after practice – staying 20-30 minutes after and taking snaps from the juggs machine and working on techniques.
7) Today after practice, Brian Jennings, who usually helps Vernon Davis, spent 30 minutes working with Brandon Moore. There is a of camaraderie on this team already, with many players helping others out.
1) Sammy Davis ran the entire practice with the first string. Mike Rumph ran the entire practice with the twos….. Perhaps this was a change after Saturday’s scrimmage?? Davis looked good this afternoon, breaking up several passes and generally blanketing receivers.
2) BJ Tucker injured his ankle breaking up a pass early in practice. He went to the sideline, got it taped, and sat out the rest of practice. We’ll have to see if it causes him to miss a few days of practice.
3) Derrick Hamilton is limping very noticeably and looks to be nowhere close to returning.
4) Bryan Gilmore looked terrible today (though he’s looked good in previous practices). He must have dropped 4-5 passes, including a couple that hit him right in the hands. He also did not show the breakaway speed he is supposed to have – on several long pass attempts, he got no separation at all. Sure hope he was nicked or having an off day. You wouldn’t want a number three guy who looked like he did today.
5) Eric Johnson looked very good, making a couple of great grabs in traffic.
6) Eric Johnson and Vernon Davis are both regulars after practice – staying 20-30 minutes after and taking snaps from the juggs machine and working on techniques.
7) Today after practice, Brian Jennings, who usually helps Vernon Davis, spent 30 minutes working with Brandon Moore. There is a of camaraderie on this team already, with many players helping others out.
cont..........
Today’s practice seemed a bit lethargic/lacking energy. I believe it was more of a walk through than an actual practice, as there were no pads and the drills that the team executed were really being hammered by the coaches from a technical standpoint. It seemed that the team was trying to work on technique, and thus, it made for an uneventful practice.
– Bryan Gilmore had been making splashes since the start of the camp, but today he had one of those days. Gilmore dropped several passes today, which was too bad. However, this is the first time he’s really done that in a practice so whether it’s fluke or not remains to be seen.
– Sammy Davis continues to impress. Not only was he ahead of Mike Rumph on every drill today, but he continus his aggressive play. The guy loves the contact with the 49ers. From a practice standpoint, this trade for Rashaun Woods is looking like a steal in our favor.
– The wind was swirling all over the place today. This made it very difficult for the QBs to throw the deep balls with any kind of accuracy. Smith, Palmer, and Shaun Hill (Dilfer did not practice) all had their passes cut by the wind on several occassions. I know that Candlestick is a windy stadium itself, so hopefully this gives our QBs some practice in those conditions, but a lot of passes were wobbling or being underthrown due to the force of the wind.
– There was one time during offensive practice, where the team was working on blitz pick up on a play. Norv Turner and many of the offensive coaches began to yell at all the players, lead by Jessie Palmer, because the play was broken up rather badly. When they tried the play again, the entire defense was sent on a blitz and Jessie Palmer did not have a prayer.
– Jeremy Newberry walked out to practice with a noticeably bad knee. Nolan was 100% right on in placing Newberry with the 2nds. The experience Heittmann has received at center will be valuable, because right now, things are not looking very good for Newberry.
– Larry Allen’s afternoon practice regiment amuses me. Vetran players don’t usually practicein the afternoon and Allen takes advantage of this. Instead, he walks around a field with the head athletic trainer. Of course, Larry runs the straight aways and walks the corners of the field. He then does some sit ups. At this point, it’s all conditioning for Allen. The man looks like he’s ready to eat someone…preferably a defensive lineman.
– Mike Nolan became noticeably angered at the offense today. He was yelling for a good minute there and telling the offense to run the play again.
– Those were really the only big highlights of practice today. It was noticeably at a slower pace today. The team was likely working on new things, and thus installing things to work on later in the week.
– Oh. CB BJ Tucker was nicked up on a pass break up. He collided with a WR and came up limping. That was the end of his practice, although the injury didn’t seem TOO serious.
– Brandon Williams had a nice catch over the middle of the field, took two steps, then fumbled the ball only to recover it in the end zone.
– Vernon Davis caught a short pass, made a cut that if any less gifted athlete would make that athlete would slip and fall, and then turned up field for a nice gain.
Today’s practice seemed a bit lethargic/lacking energy. I believe it was more of a walk through than an actual practice, as there were no pads and the drills that the team executed were really being hammered by the coaches from a technical standpoint. It seemed that the team was trying to work on technique, and thus, it made for an uneventful practice.
– Bryan Gilmore had been making splashes since the start of the camp, but today he had one of those days. Gilmore dropped several passes today, which was too bad. However, this is the first time he’s really done that in a practice so whether it’s fluke or not remains to be seen.
– Sammy Davis continues to impress. Not only was he ahead of Mike Rumph on every drill today, but he continus his aggressive play. The guy loves the contact with the 49ers. From a practice standpoint, this trade for Rashaun Woods is looking like a steal in our favor.
– The wind was swirling all over the place today. This made it very difficult for the QBs to throw the deep balls with any kind of accuracy. Smith, Palmer, and Shaun Hill (Dilfer did not practice) all had their passes cut by the wind on several occassions. I know that Candlestick is a windy stadium itself, so hopefully this gives our QBs some practice in those conditions, but a lot of passes were wobbling or being underthrown due to the force of the wind.
– There was one time during offensive practice, where the team was working on blitz pick up on a play. Norv Turner and many of the offensive coaches began to yell at all the players, lead by Jessie Palmer, because the play was broken up rather badly. When they tried the play again, the entire defense was sent on a blitz and Jessie Palmer did not have a prayer.
– Jeremy Newberry walked out to practice with a noticeably bad knee. Nolan was 100% right on in placing Newberry with the 2nds. The experience Heittmann has received at center will be valuable, because right now, things are not looking very good for Newberry.
– Larry Allen’s afternoon practice regiment amuses me. Vetran players don’t usually practicein the afternoon and Allen takes advantage of this. Instead, he walks around a field with the head athletic trainer. Of course, Larry runs the straight aways and walks the corners of the field. He then does some sit ups. At this point, it’s all conditioning for Allen. The man looks like he’s ready to eat someone…preferably a defensive lineman.
– Mike Nolan became noticeably angered at the offense today. He was yelling for a good minute there and telling the offense to run the play again.
– Those were really the only big highlights of practice today. It was noticeably at a slower pace today. The team was likely working on new things, and thus installing things to work on later in the week.
– Oh. CB BJ Tucker was nicked up on a pass break up. He collided with a WR and came up limping. That was the end of his practice, although the injury didn’t seem TOO serious.
– Brandon Williams had a nice catch over the middle of the field, took two steps, then fumbled the ball only to recover it in the end zone.
– Vernon Davis caught a short pass, made a cut that if any less gifted athlete would make that athlete would slip and fall, and then turned up field for a nice gain.