The San Francisco 49ers wrapped up day six of training camp, and unfortunately, the biggest storyline continues to be the growing list of injuries. John Chapman, of 49ers Rush, pointed out on X that four of the team's top wide receivers—Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, Christian Kirk, and De'Zhaun Stribling—were not practicing. Kaelon Black was also out with an adductor injury.

Evans' absence was later explained as a "very minor" quad strain. Hopefully, that's all it is, but it's difficult not to be concerned when injuries continue to pile up before the team has even played a preseason game.


Some have blamed the electrical substation, while others are calling for changes in the team's player health and performance department, specifically Dustin Perry, who leads that area. JohnnyDel of JohnnyDel's Football Academy pointed out that Perry has been promoted three times despite the organization previously suggesting it had "cleaned house." Whatever the reason, something clearly isn't working. The 49ers have been among the NFL's most injured teams for much of the past decade, and the trend is continuing into this year's camp.

The good news is that Stribling and Kirk were both spotted working on a side field. Matt Barrows reported that Stribling appeared to be running at full speed, while Kirk was working at roughly three-quarter speed.

C.J. West and Romello Height returned to practice.

Robinson continues to impress


With so many receivers sidelined, Demarcus Robinson continues to make the most of his opportunity. Chapman said Robinson "continues to be a mainstay in the offense," consistently catching passes from all four quarterbacks. OurSF49ers said Robinson is "stepping up big with multiple injuries to the WR room."

Robinson made several catches, including a nice grab down the right sideline from Brock Purdy. He's been one of the standouts of camp so far and is making a strong case to be a reliable contributor this season.


Other offensive standouts


Jake Tonges had another strong day, making several big catches, despite still running with the second team behind Luke Farrell. Tonges nearly made an even bigger impact, with Purdy just missing him on a deep ball and Ji'Ayir Brown breaking up a would-be red-zone touchdown.

Jordan Watkins also had a productive day, making several catches and showing good speed on an end-around. Watkins is a player I'm rooting for, although he'll need to prove he can win contested catches against NFL defensive backs.

Brayden Willis provided one of the highlights of the first-team period with an impressive one-handed catch while falling after being pushed by a defensive back. That may be the first time you've really heard Willis' name mentioned during camp, so it was nice to see him make a splash.

Defense making plays


Rookie linebacker Jaden Dugger worked with the defensive line group during individual drills. Dugger played linebacker, defensive end, and safety in college, and the 49ers appear interested in finding ways to use his versatility. It also doesn't hurt that injuries have left the defensive line short on bodies.

Renardo Green continues to impress. OurSF49ers said Green "dominated" his 1-on-1 reps and has looked good throughout camp. That's becoming a consistent theme, which is encouraging in an important year for the young cornerback.


Sebastian Valdez also had a solid day, generating pressure on several plays. He's been a consistent presence since the beginning of camp and continues to see more opportunities.

Nick Martin continued to flash his speed before his injury scare. ESPN's Nick Wagoner noted that Martin is learning when to use that speed and when to let plays develop rather than overrunning them. Martin had an injury scare when he came up limping and grabbed the back of his leg. Thankfully, it didn't appear that he left practice. Martin has been having a strong camp, so hopefully this is nothing serious.

Purdy, Brown show positive signs


Purdy and the offense bounced back somewhat despite all the moving pieces at wide receiver. Wagoner had Purdy at 14-of-21, although there wasn't much going on downfield.

As mentioned earlier, Brown made one of the defensive highlights of the day, breaking up a potential touchdown to Tonges in the red zone. Brown also spoke after practice about how much fun he's having in Raheem Morris' defense. He said the scheme allows him to play more to his strengths, particularly his instincts and ability to read the quarterback.

Brown has been around the ball frequently during camp and has gotten his hands on multiple passes. With his struggles the past two seasons, Brown needs this to be a huge season.


Deebo Samuel has Boyer excited


Special teams coordinator Brant Boyer was asked about his reaction when he learned Deebo Samuel would be joining the 49ers and returning kicks. "When they told me he was coming, I said, 'Hell yeah, let's go!'"

Boyer said Samuel is extremely difficult to tackle and has the speed to take a return all the way to the house. It's easy to understand the excitement.

Day six was another mixed bag. The biggest concern remains health. But there were plenty of positives. The biggest positive is that, despite all the missing players, others continue to step up and make plays. Now the 49ers just need to get healthy.

Written By:

Marc Adams


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