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- David Bonilla
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Written by:David Bonilla
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The San Francisco 49ers held their fifth of 13 scheduled training camp practices. Below are some practice notes from various media sources. Did not practice: DE Samson Ebukam (leg) TE MyCole Pruitt (calf) Linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair left practice during team drills with what appeared to be a right knee injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters after practice that the preliminary examinations have the team "pretty optimistic" about the injury, though. Samson Ebukam received the day off after experiencing some leg soreness. Cornerback Tim Harris left practice due to some...
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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters on Monday after players came off the field from the first training camp practice of the week. While rookie Trey Lance has had impressive moments over the past week, Shanahan reiterated that no quarterback competition is brewing in Santa Clara. Garoppolo is currently getting the majority of the practice reps with the first-team offense. Lance has been primarily working with the second-team unit. There are no plans for that to change. "I thought Trey had one of his better days on Saturday," Shanahan said, "but that was nothing to move him up there, to start talking differently with Jimmy or anything like that." The plan is for Garoppolo to be the 49ers' starter when the team faces the...
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San Francisco 49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair suffered an injury during red zone drills in practice on Monday. It occurred on a run play and appeared to be a non-contact injury. Al-Shaair walked off the field with the team's medical staff and linebacker Fred Warner. After practice, head coach Kyle Shanahan informed reporters that the team is "pretty optimistic" about the injury after very early preliminary examinations. Al-Shaair has been with the 49ers since he signed with the team as an undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic in 2019. He has recorded 53 tackles, a tackle for a loss, a quarterback hit, an interception, two passes defensed, and a forced fumble in 31 games and nine starts with the team. Other...
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Former San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, now with the New England Patriots, had a telling admission today while speaking with reporters. It sounds like the fifth-year player feels his new team works harder than his old one. "I've only been at one other training camp. This is definitely harder," Bourne told reporters, per Tzvi Machlin of The Spun. "We work harder here, and I'm glad to be here." Kendrick Bourne on Patriots training camp vs. 49ers:"It's...
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Peter King of NBC Sports attended a practice last week and witnessed why San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Trey Lance is creating some Bay Area buzz. "Oooooohhhhhhhhhh," was the sound coming from the rookie's new defensive teammates on the sideline after the quarterback connected with wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. "Translation: This kid might be the goods," King wrote. That's the hope in Santa Clara. The 49ers gave up a lot — including multiple future first-round picks — to acquire the young passer. The team can be patient in Lance's development, though. It has Jimmy Garoppolo too. Garoppolo will be the starter,...
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Fred Warner has proven that he can do it all. That's why the San Francisco 49ers recently locked up their star linebacker to a massive contract extension, ensuring he remains with the team for years to come. Warner represents a change in the prototypical NFL linebacker. Athleticism and versatility have become more important than the massive linebackers who were once the prototype. Who better to comment on that than the 49ers new defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, who played the position for 10 seasons at a weight of around 250 pounds? Now, Warner is the new form factor for NFL linebackers, and that has Ryans excited about the player's future. "I think the way the game is changing with a lot more passing, a lot of spread offenses, you know, there's a lot of...
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Not only did the San Francisco 49ers have to navigate a pandemic in 2020, to the point of eventually calling Arizona, not the Bay Area, home, but the team endured one of the most injury-plagued campaigns we've witnessed in the last two decades. While no one is using that as an excuse, coaches and players know that a healthy 49ers roster can compete with anyone. That's why everyone is so excited about this year. Despite the team's struggles during last season's six-win campaign, head coach Kyle Shanahan expects big things from the 49ers defense in 2021. "I've got very high expectations for our defense," Shanahan told NFL Network's Steve Mariucci on Saturday. "I...
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The San Francisco 49ers held their fourth of 13 scheduled training camp practices. Below are some practice notes from various media sources. Did not practice: LB Dre Greenlaw (foot) WR Jalen Hurd (unknown) TE George Kittle (maintenance day) TE MyCole Pruitt (calf) Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is dealing with a blister on his foot — nothing to be concerned about. Defensive end Nick Bosa returned to practice after receiving Friday off for what head coach Kyle Shanahan called a "maintenance day." He still is not taking part in team drills, though. Defensive linemen Dee Ford and Javon Kinlaw joined Bosa on a side field after individual...
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San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke briefly with Steve Mariucci of NFL Network after Saturday's practice. Naturally, Mariucci brought up the team's quarterback situation. The plan is to enter Week 1 with the veteran, Jimmy Garoppolo, as the starter. However, the team used a high draft pick to add Trey Lance, who is the quarterback of the future. Mariucci asked Shanahan to once again confirm that Garoppolo is the 49ers' starter and how the coach manages the practice and preseason reps between the two, with Lance needing experience to eventually take over the offense. "It's not bad with the one and two," Shanahan said. "And yeah, that is true. Jimmy's our starter because he's our best quarterback right now. And obviously, we think a lot of Trey, and...
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Mike McGlinchey was visibly bigger when he reported to training camp this week. The San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle worked hard to bulk up this offseason, and discussed the process with reporters after Saturday's practice. McGlinchey shared that he now weighs between 315 and 320 pounds. It fluctuates between those numbers daily with practices. "It's about -- I want to say about 25 pounds heavier than last year," McGlinchey shared. "COVID was tough on me. It was tough on the resources. It was tough on getting into gyms. It was tough on making sure that (weight) stays up." While McGlinchey enjoyed a career-high Pro Football Focus run-blocking grade of 91.3 last season, his passing-blocking grade of 58.3 was a career-low. He acknowledges that there...
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In previous practices, San Francisco 49ers quarterback Trey Lance had mostly stuck with showing off his arm while remaining in the pocket. Saturday was different, though. The rookie showed off his ability to make things happen with his legs, too, on designed runs and while scrambling out of the pocket. Lance's athleticism is just one quality that made the quarterback appealing to Kyle Shanahan leading to the draft. The head coach loved Lance's ability to throw the football downfield. The quarterback using his legs to frustrate opposing defenses was just a bonus. In addition to Lance's 2,786 passing yards and 28 passing touchdowns in 2019 with North Dakota State, he had 1,100 yards and 14 more scores on the ground. The 49ers defense has to face Russell Wilson and...
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Brandon Aiyuk expects to be even better than he was during his impressive rookie campaign when the San Francisco 49ers receiver hauled in 60 passes for 748 receiving yards and got into the end zone seven times (five through the air and two on the ground). Everyone has been impressed by the second-year receiver during the team's initial training camp practices, which has produced high fan expectations for Aiyuk, too. Aiyuk stepped up to the podium on Friday to speak with reporters. He was asked about his offseason focus. What did he work on over the last six months to better prepare him for a potential leap in 2021? "I would probably say just strength, filling out my body, more muscle, being able to endure the long season. Endurance, body strength, throughout my...
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The San Francisco 49ers are signing wide receiver turned tight end Jordan Matthews, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. #49ers are signing TE Jordan Matthews, source says. The position switch for the former WR results in a roster spot for the Niners.— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) July 31, 2021 The signing...
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The San Francisco 49ers held their third of 13 scheduled training camp practices. Below are some practice notes from various media sources. Did not practice: DE Nick Bosa (maintenance day) WR Jalen Hurd (maintenance day) DT Maurice Hurst (ankle) TE MyCole Pruitt (calf) "He'll be out for a little bit," head coach Kyle Shanahan said of Pruitt after practice. "Maurice Hurst is day-to-day with a slight ankle." Limited: DE Dee Ford (neck, back) DT Javon Kinlaw (knee) The practice opened with rookie offensive lineman Aaron Banks firing up the...
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Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk was among the first players to work with Trey Lance after the San Francisco 49ers drafted the quarterback. The two had the same speed trainer and were in Orange County together, so they got together. Lance immediately impressed the second-year receiver. "Every single day, he was there, ready to work, no matter what he had going on," Aiyuk shared with reporters on Friday. "So, just the character of the kid, as a young kid, I just saw that early on." While Lance to Aiyuk could be a staple of the 49ers offense for years to come, the receiver figures to catch most of his passes this season from a different quarterback. Jimmy Garoppolo is...
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Trey Lance is a rookie. He is bound to make mistakes in his first NFL training camp. The San Francisco 49ers quarterback reportedly made what is described as some questionable throws during practice on Friday. They probably won't be his last. Head coach Kyle Shanahan didn't sound too concerned about the practice miscues. There is no rush to prepare Lance to get onto the football field for a game. The 49ers have a veteran starter in Jimmy Garoppolo. Lance can make those types of mistakes because he has time to learn from them as his NFL education pushes forward. Plus, Lance has ended up being his own biggest critic and is self-motivated to perfect his play. "You don't have to get on him too much," Shanahan told reporters after Friday's practice. "When...
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"I have no injury," wrote San Francisco 49ers defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw via an Instagram story. Out of an abundance of caution on the part of the team, Kinlaw has been limited in practices this week, working in individual drills but not in team drills. Head coach Kyle Shanahan informed reporters on Wednesday that the former first-round pick recently underwent a procedure to reduce the swelling in his knee, indicating that it was related to the "clean-up procedure" Kinlaw underwent after last season. "He had, traveling and stuff like a month ago or something, [his knee] just swelled up a little bit," Shanahan said. "I don't know whether they drained it or not. I'll get it exactly for you guys tomorrow. But just a minor thing. And so, he had to stay off of it...
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San Francisco 49ers running back Raheem Mostert is clearly frustrated with the narrative surrounding his future. He is 29 years old and is coming off an injury-plagued 2020 campaign. Although, in his defense, it feels like the entire 49ers roster was impacted by injuries last season, so it's not really fair to single out Mostert. The running back appears healthy and has reportedly looked good in the team's two training camp practices. Mostert wears a brace during those practices. However, it has nothing to do with the injuries that limited the running back to eight games last season. He just wants to clear that...
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Comparisons are fun. Entering last year's draft, NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein compared wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to Robert Woods of the Los Angeles Rams. Aiyuk ended up becoming a first-round selection of the San Francisco 49ers and had an impressive rookie campaign. Cornerback Jason Verrett offered up another comparison while speaking to the media on Thursday, saying Aiyuk displays traits that remind him of a future Hall of Famer. "We kind of can see similarities with BA, as far as the skillset, of Julio (Jones)," Verrett shared. "You can kind of see some similarities." That is high praise for the second-year receiver. Verrett feels...
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The San Francisco 49ers held their second of 13 scheduled training camp practices. Below are some practice notes from various media sources. Did not practice: TE MyCole Pruitt Limited: DE Nick Bosa (knee) DE Dee Ford (neck, back) WR Jalen Hurd (knee) DT Javon Kinlaw (knee) Practice started with rookie quarterback Trey Lance being tasked to fire up the crowd of fans. Trey Lance bringing the Rookie Hype Machine energy 🗣️...
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