49ers 8/6 practice: Rough outing for Trey Lance, strong showing by the defense

The San Francisco 49ers held their eighth of 13 scheduled training camp practices after enjoying yesterday off. Below are some practice notes from various media sources.

Before practice, the 49ers announced the retirement of defensive lineman Anthony Zettel, the signing of defensive lineman Davin Bellamy to a one-year deal, and that wide receiver Jauan Jennings and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley had been activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list.

Jennings and Moseley were suited up for practice.

Did not practice:

• LB Azeez Al-Shaair (leg)
• DL Arik Armstead (groin)
• DE Samson Ebukam (leg)
• DT Zach Kerr (groin)
• TE MyCole Pruitt (calf)
• DL Kentavius Street (unknown)

Head coach Kyle Shanahan said defensive linemen Arik Armstead and Zach Kerr are day-to-day with groin injuries.

Defensive end Nick Bosa returned to practice after receiving Wednesday off. Although, he remained limited. Cornerback Dontae Johnson was also back in action after dealing with a foot injury.

Rookie Hype Machine

It was wide receiver Austin Watkins' turn to fire up the fans before practice.

QB watch

Early in team drills, Trey Lance threw a 45-yard deep ball over the middle to wide receiver Travis Benjamin, who made a leaping catch over cornerback Dontae Johnson. (KNBR) "Lance again mixing in runs (zone read, scramble) with perfect passing, though Kittle help[ed] with great grab," wrote Cam Inman. (Bay Area News Group)

However, Lance's day wasn't as impressive as previous outings. There were some issues with the exchange between Lance and running back Wayne Gallman. The two were part of two fumbles. (Sacramento Bee)

"Just when there's some indecision between pulling it and taking it, sometimes the backs hold onto it too hard," Shanahan said after practice. "There's an element there that you've got to kind of slow-play everything. And when you slow play everything in football, eventually it's gotta be explosive, and you've got to go. So you've got to have two guys kind of moving the same speed, and when there's a little give, that's what happens."

While Lance started practice completing his first five attempts (Bay Area News Group), he ended practice with four consecutive incompletions. (San Francisco Chronicle)

Jake Hutchinson notes that Lance missed a couple of throws high and didn't pick up some blitzes. He called the session the "roughest day for Trey." (KNBR)

Jimmy Garoppolo opened team drills with a completion to fullback Kyle Juszczyk on a slant. The veteran passer later found wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk over the middle and connected with tight end George Kittle. Wrote Hutchinson: "It wasn't a stunning performance, but the ball moved." (KNBR)

Garoppolo finished the day 7-of-12 in passing attempts (ESPN) during team drills, while Lance finished 8-of-13. (ESPN)

Other notes

Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw worked with the first-team defense during team drills.

Moseley was also working with the first-team defense in his first training camp practice and broke up a pass at the sideline early during team drills. (The Athletic) It was a Garoppolo throw intended for wide receiver Deebo Samuel. (NBC Sports Bay Area)

Wide receiver Jalen Hurd, who spent his first two NFL seasons on injured reserve, hauled in his first catch during team drills this training camp. "Jalen Hurd just caught his first 11-on-11 pass since 2019, this one a crossing pattern from Nate Sudfeld," wrote Matt Barrows. (The Athletic)

Running back Raheem Mostert has looked like his "usual, speedy self" in practices and had a couple of impressive runs today, one of which was a run up the middle for a would-be long touchdown run. (ESPN)

Defensive end Dee Ford was active in team drills and had a would-be sack following an inside power move on right tackle Mike McGlinchey. (San Francisco Chronicle) Ford missed all but one game last season with neck and back injuries.

"I never really lost my ability to do anything," Ford told reporters after practice. "It was just getting my back where it needs to be to hit people. We're just going to keep working. The breakthrough is going to be when I get sacks."

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Ford, along with defensive end Arden Key, worked with the first-team defense. (Bay Area News Group) Key and defensive end Jordan Willis each had would-be sacks during team drills. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir forced a fumble, which was recovered by linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. (ESPN)

The defense looked "extremely crisp," particularly in the pass rush, thanks to excellent coverage in the defensive backfield. The defensive backs were responsible for at least two coverage sacks—one on Garoppolo and another on Lance—and multiple pressures. Safety Talanoa Hufanga looks like "a menace when he's placed inside the box" and, at times, looks like a veteran with his timing. "He met fellow rookie Elijah Mitchell at the line of scrimmage a couple of times, closed down Trey Lance on an outside zone read, and played crucially tight coverage on the coverage sack Lance (theoretically) took," wrote Hutchinson. (KNBR)

"He's been what we've thought," Shanahan said of Hufanga. "I mean, he loves to run around and loves to act like Troy Polamalu out there. Still, got a ways to go before he's a Hall of Famer, but now he's done a good job."

Other videos from practice

Remaining training camp practices

Tomorrow, 49ers fans will return to Levi's Stadium for the first time in nearly 18 months.

• Saturday, August 7 (Levi's Stadium)
• Sunday, August 8
• Tuesday, August 10
• Wednesday, August 11
• Thursday, August 12