Scott sent me some more notes from the afternoon practice from Wednesday 08.09.06
1) The practice was interesting, because the it was slanted somewhat to preparing for the game against the Bears Friday night, and working against the Bears’ “looks”. Bryant Young and Arnaz Battle were held out of the morning practice, and instead practiced at 4 PM so they could be part of preparing for the game. Both looked good, though Battle didn’t really have to test his knee to any great extent, so we’ll see Friday night if he’s limited by it. Larry Allen practiced too – presumably for the same reason – he usually just does conditioning in the afternoon. Mike Nolan said he and the Coaches would decide in a 10 PM meeting tonight if Trent Dilfer would play Friday or if Alex Smith would get his reps to let get Alex more time and to let Dilfer continue to heal. Dilfer didn’t practice (though he was there helping) at 4PM, so it’s reasonable to assume Nolan is leaning toward sitting Trent for this one.
2) Antonio Bryant, Battle, Vernon Davis, and Marcus Maxwell all had nice catches, but the most consistent receiver was Eric Johnson. Nothing thrown to him hit the ground today. (Note to Nolan: EJ’s contract is up after this year – now would be a great time to lock him up for another few years and either create an excellent tight end duo, or (if Delanie Walker continues to develop quickly) be able to get value for him in a trade. If he has another great year and we don’t have him signed – well, we’ve seen how that works…..
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Camp Notes 08.07.06
by Vini Chopra – 49ersNews.com
– 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.
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I received this from Scott a fan who was at the afternoon practice on Monday.
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.
Thanks, Scott.
Hey guys. Vin back here with a report from the team scrimmage today.
– 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.
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Hey guys, it’s Vin again with 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.
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Camp Notes: Day 5
by Vini Chopra – 49ersNews.com
08.02.06 – Vin back with another training camp report. I’m a bit later than usual, but I had some engagements after practice so I apologize for the delay.
- After Monday’s padded practice, today’s practice was in shorts and thus the hitting and contact was minimal as expected.
- The intensity of practice; however, still remained high. Even in shorts, the defensive backs were very aggressive in their coverage of the WRs. We hired a new DBs coach in the off-season, who was with the Baltimore Ravens prior to us, I believe. His philosophy is showing. The DBs look to be bumping WRs and playing a more aggressive game.
- Sammy Davis has stood out the past few training camps and today was no exception. He had an INT, and has looked like a really solid nickle/dime option. He might not ever be a starter in the NFL as the Chargers used him, but he does give us an experienced corner who may end up being the 4th guy back there on situations. For that, he’s done well and has looked a lot better than Mike Rumph who still, to this day, hasn’t really made an impact during camp. At least not in the practices I’ve witnessed.
- Shawntae Spencer looked really good today. He picked off a pass from Alex Smith that was intended for either Antonio Bryant or Arnaz Battle. He also had a beautiful pass break up of a throw intended for Eric Johnson in the end zone. Spencer has been playing the part of our #1 CB all training camp long, and today, he really showed separation amongst all the other CBs out there. He also held his own against Antonio Bryant, which wasn’t the case 4 days ago.
- Speaking of the WRs, Antonio Bryant had a strong practice. He didn’t drop a pass (as I recall), and he made a spectacular grab on a deep throw from Alex Smith where he was able to obtain position over the DB and leap up to grab the pass. That’s the 3rd or 4th time I’ve seen him do that, so perhaps some fade routes in the end zone are in order for Bryant, who really uses his size to out position DBs.
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Coach Mike Nolan on Tuesday described the competition for the 49ers’ starting tailback job as “wide open’’ between Kevan Barlow and Frank Gore, and added that Maurice Hicks and rookie Michael Robinson also were making their presence felt.
“I want to see who that guy is,’’ Nolan said. “I’m wide open. I’m not closed at all. I have every reason not to be.’’
“Frank is pretty strong and he runs north-south all the time, hopefully a lot more north,’’ Nolan said. “Kevan is more of a shiftier back. He picks his holes a little differently than Frank does. All backs have their styles. There’s good backs that do it either way.’‘
[It’s `wide open’ in 49ers’ backfield] – Mercury News
Camp Notes: Day 3
by Vini Chopra – 49ersNews.com
07.31.06 – Okay, another day, another practice.
Today was the first padded practice open to the public, and there was definitely a different kind of intensity in the air. In general, people were banging each other and colliding against one another like nothing else I’ve witnessed before at a TC. Lots of contact. You could hear the "POP!" all the way into the bleachers. It was very intense and very fun. You could tell that the players were loving their first real contact in front of fans, and put on a show from time to time.
- One of the players who lived on this mentality today, and the guy who really leaped out, was Vernon Davis. Remember those reports that questioned VD’s blocking ability? That was answered somewhat today, and the guy looks like he loves to block as much as he loves to go out and catch passes. And when I say loves to block, that’s an understatement. The intensity he showed, just by being out there and picking up blitzes from the LBs when the team was practicing that, was something I haven’t seen a player exhibit in quite a long time.
- Among the highlights of VDs blocking was when he went one on one with David Dixon (at least that’s who I believe this player was, as "#51" is unlisted on the official roster they hand out). Dixon earned a lot of attention himself today, as he had a real bullrusher mentality. Instead of fancy moves, the guy was just going toe to toe with blockers and running right at them, taking them off of their guard. When VD came along, Dixon was stopped in his tracks and owned. The two proceeded to wrestle a bit before VD showed off his triumph and raised up his arms, yelling. Even Jeff Ulbrich couldn’t get by Vernon Davis today.
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Camp Notes Day 2
by Vini Chopra – 49ersNews.com
Vin back here with a training camp report of Day 2 of training camp. This was the morning practice, open to the public:
– In general, today’s practice didn’t have much contact. The players were in shorts and seemed to working on fundamental things like technique and footwork. For example, the WRs were doing a lot of drills where they were working on catch the ball towards the sideline and making sure that their feet stay in bounds.
– This is important to note, because it distinguishes Norv Turner’s style from Mike McCarthy of last year. Last year, the 49ers seemed to be throwing plays around in a more unorganized manner. They would start with the option and what not. Norv Turner has them working on the basics and that’s a good thing.
– On that note, Arnaz Battle practiced today although when the 49ers revealed their 3 WR set, Battle was positioned in the slot with Bryan Gilmore as the #2 WR on the outside, opposite Antonio Bryant. Battle caught the ball well today and looked fairly good health wise. He did not show any effects of the knee, or make any indications that the knee was bothering him.
– Antonio Bryant has been criticized for dropping passes with his previous teams. Today, this problem manifested itself. On some routine fly routes, Bryant dropped two easy passes. They were just drills with the QB, but still, you’d hope that he can concentrate on those easier passes. Yesterday he showed that he’s one to fight for the tough grab. Then again, it is only the 2nd day of training camp.
– Bryan Gilmore looks really good out there. He’s quick and has a beautiful stride, as I mentioned yesterday. He’s a burner and was always putting some distance between himself and the defender. He looks like an option for the deep ball.
– Another guy that showed his speed today was Brandon Williams. On a one on one drill against Kris Richards, Williams flew past Richards and made a nice catch over the top.
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Camp Notes Day 1
by Vini Chopra – 49ersNews.com
Well I’m back and it’s been far too long. But mark it….4 PM pacific time, football was officially back in the air. Here are the impressions from today’s first training camp practice of the San Francisco 49ers.
Everyone wants to know about our 2 first round picks so that’s where I am going to begin:
– Vernon Davis was one of the first players out there on the practice field. He was catching passes with, surprisingly
NOT Alex Smith, but Issac Sopoaga. And if it’s anyone’s guess, Issac Sopoaga looks really good throwing the football. He also looks a lot bigger and meaner than before. It seems that the 49ers’ new strength trainer has paid off. Either that, or Issac Sopoaga and Larry Allen have been hanging out together quite a bit.
– Vernon Davis’ first pass catch attempt was somewhat of a dud. Alex Smith fired a beautiful, high velocity pass to him on a little crossing route, but VD dropped the pass.
– It was his only drop of the afternoon, as he caught everything else. The thing that really stands about VD is that when he catches the ball, he is all hands. Many TEs have the tendency to use their body to catch since their frame is so huge. VD is a hands catcher and once he gets used to the routes and such, that’ll only help him.
– VD also served for the highlight play of the day. He caught a pass near the middle of the field, proceeded to run and make a cut and then his pants fell down. So he caught the ball with his pants down…literally.
– And as long as he can keep his pants on, VD is looks tremendous in his cuts. He’s very quick and runs low. It’s fun to watch him in the open field, albeit, there was little contact out there today so I’m only going by what I saw.
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Update: 07.28.06 – ESPN.com’s John Clayton reports San Francisco 49ers rookie LB Manny Lawson will sign a five-year, $8.515 million contract with the team.
07.27.06 – The Niners have signed 1st round pick Manny Lawson. Terms of the deal weren’t immediately available. Vernon Davis is the last draftee unsigned on the eve of training camp.
Kevan Barlow vs. Frank Gore
After two consecutive disappointing seasons, Kevan Barlow is clearly at the end of his rope. BUT, Mike Nolan has been nothing but complimentary regarding Barlow and his play last season. I too felt like Barlow ran hard last year and was particularly good in the open field but was hindered by the patchwork and inexperienced offensive line. However, Frank Gore didn’t seem to experience those problems running behind the same line, and there in lies the current dilemma. Gore was tremendously impressive as a rookie, displaying quickness, burst, power, and most importantly, health. Barlow has the advantage in the “other” aspects of the game, i.e. blitz pickup, passing game, etc., but another full offseason can only help Gore’s development in those areas. This competition could go down to the wire.
My prediction: Barlow wins the starting job and gets a slightly larger majority of the carries this season, while Gore plays a significant role as the complimentary back.
Walt Harris vs. Every CB on the roster not named Shawntae Spencer
Spencer appears firmly entrenched as the #1 CB on the roster; Walt Harris is currently penciled in as the #2 CB starting on the opposite side. But with a plethora of legitimate options available, will Harris be able to hold onto the job? Mike Rumph, while rumored to be on the cutting block, showed flashes in his second year at CB, but that was sadly wiped out by 2 years of injuries. Bruce Thornton was brought in during the middle of last season and started out with a bang before struggling a bit down the stretch. Derrick Johnson impressed when given the opportunity and seemed to make plays every time he was out there. And Sammy Davis was acquired from the San Diego Chargers in the Rashaun Woods trade; Davis has been a starter and has valuable experience, despite being a disappointment with the Chargers. Harris is a consistent performer, but he is getting older and has definitely lost a step. He won’t make many critical mistakes, but I don’t see him making many big plays either.
My prediction: Harris will maintain the #2 job through the preseason and the beginning of the season, but Derrick Johnson will continue to shine and eventually take over that spot.
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Full squad reports on Thursday, July 27, with first practice scheduled for Friday, July 28. The 49ers will not hold a scrimmage.
Nine dates are open to the public. Each of the nine open practices feature interactive games and player autograph sessions for fans. The free open practices are scheduled for:
Saturday, July 29 (9:00 a.m.)
Monday, July 31 (4:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, August 2 (4:00 p.m.)
Friday, August 4 (4:00 p.m.)
Saturday, August 5 (3:00 p.m.)
Monday, August 7 (4:00 p.m.)
Wednesday, August 9 (4:00 p.m.)
Sunday, August 13 (9:40 a.m.)
Tuesday, August 15 (4:00 p.m.).
More than 3,000 people are expected to attend each ticketed practice.
