Day nine of San Francisco 49ers training camp brought a little bit of everything. There was some good news on the injury front, a couple of defensive plays that Brock Purdy probably wishes he could have back, some struggles along the offensive line and, perhaps most importantly, Kyle Shanahan returned to the podium for the first time since his car accident last month.

Here are the quick hits from training camp day nine.


Another injury, but nothing major


The 49ers did have one new injury to report, with linebacker Luke Gifford dealing with a hamstring issue. According to Matt Barrows, everything else remained status quo, including Nick Bosa, who continues to sit out with what the team has described as "soreness."

Mike Evans also remains sidelined, although that appears to be precautionary. That's likely why Bosa is still out. There's no point in practicing certain key players if they're not healthy right now.

There was some positive news, however, as wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling returned to team 11-on-11 work after dealing with hamstring tightness.

Jake Tonges keeps finding the end zone


If there has been one player who consistently seems to find his way into the right place during camp, it's Jake Tonges. The tight end scored another touchdown during red-zone drills, continuing what has been an impressive training camp so far. He's been money around the goal line, and with George Kittle's status unknown, Tonges is certainly making sure the coaching staff can trust him in the passing game.

Fred Warner is everywhere


Fred Warner apparently decided he wasn't going to let anyone have an easy day. OurSF49ers noted that Warner was "flying all over the field" and came up with multiple leaping pass breakups during team drills. That's pretty much what we've come to expect from Warner, but it's still impressive to watch him make plays that many linebackers simply can't make.


It also sounds like his running mate Dre Greenlaw wasn't making things easy for the offense. OurSF49ers posted on X, "Dre Greenlaw plays with crazy intensity, dropped the hammer on Luke Farrell on a pass to the right sideline."

Brock Purdy gives up a pick-6…twice


The defense had one of its better days against Purdy. Matt Maiocco reported that the 49ers defense had two house calls against their starting quarterback. Deommodore Lenoir returned one 100 yards during a deep red-zone period, while Upton Stout took another 25 yards to the house.

Obviously, you don't want to read too much into interceptions during training camp, but two defensive touchdowns against Purdy certainly qualify as a notable day for the defense.

Offensive line struggles


The offensive line had a rough day during 1-on-1 work. Romello Height jumped offside twice, but finally got the better of Colton McKivitz on his third attempt.

Rookie offensive tackle Enrique Cruz, Jr. also struggled. Brad Graham was even more blunt about Cruz, saying he would be surprised if the rookie made the final roster. Reportedly, Trent Williams pulled the rookie aside and spent 5-10 minutes coaching him up. That's not a bad thing for a young offensive lineman after a rough stretch.


Connor Colby also had a difficult session, losing most of his reps, including two against James Thompson Jr. That's worth watching. Colby had looked like he was running away with the left guard competition earlier in camp, but he's struggled a bit lately. It's a reminder that the battle isn't over just because one player gets off to a good start.

Shanahan returns to the podium


The biggest story of the day wasn't necessarily what happened on the field. It was who was standing behind the microphone afterward. Kyle Shanahan spoke with the media for the first time since his car accident last month. He said his Tesla was on autopilot when the accident happened and that he still isn't sure exactly what went wrong, including whether he accidentally turned the system off or if there was some type of malfunction. The good news is that Shanahan said his headaches are feeling "so much better."

He also made it clear that he's been heavily involved in team meetings and film sessions, and it sounds like he expects to have some involvement with preseason game action.

According to Barrows, Shanahan spoke for just under 20 minutes and said he's trying to push himself a little more each day. Addressing the media was part of that process. That's obviously encouraging news.

Shanahan also believes this year's 49ers are a better team entering camp than they were last year. They made some good moves in the offseason. But this season may still come down to health.


Speaking of which, when asked about the number of injuries the team has experienced during camp, Shanahan's assessment was pretty simple: "It feels, I mean, pretty normal, give or take 3."

We're getting closer to the preseason, and the 49ers still have work to do. They're off on Sunday, but the coordinators will speak to the media, so there will be news. It just won't be on the field.

Written By:

Marc Adams


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