Kelly stated that whatever was keeping Smelter out of practice was no related to his surgically repaired knee.
On Friday, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reported that it was a hamstring injury that limited Smelter and nothing more serious. He is expected to be ready to compete during training camp in late-July.
After spending his rookie season recovering from surgery to repair his torn ACL, Smelter is an unknown commodity for the 49ers. Early on, he drew comparisons to Anquan Boldin, who the team has yet to re-sign – perhaps partially due to the fact that Smelter, along with numerous other young receivers, are on the roster.
Smelter's 11-inch hands were the largest of his draft class and he has the size to be a physical threat at receiver for the team. He was a fourth round selection out of Georgia Tech in 2015.
In 2014, he had 35 receptions for 715 yards and seven touchdowns through 10 games at Georgia Tech. That's an average of over 20 yards-per-catch.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
49ers players react as Fred Warner returns to practice during playoff push
The San Francisco 49ers opened Fred Warner's practice window on Tuesday, a key step toward a potential return by the All-Pro linebacker in the NFC Championship Game. Still, the team isn't looking past the immediate task at hand: a Divisional Round playoff matchup against the... -
Recovering 49ers LB Fred Warner seen running during practice
There remains a possibility that San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner could return to the field if the team advances deep into the postseason. While a return is far from guaranteed, head coach Kyle Shanahan has acknowledged that Warner's chances would increase if the... -
49ers praise Mac Jones for keeping playoff hopes alive during Purdy's absence
The San Francisco 49ers understand they might not be in their current position without quarterback Mac Jones' contributions this season. When starter Brock Purdy missed time with a turf toe injury, Jones stepped in for eight games and delivered steady production, throwing for... -
49ers vs. Seahawks: 5 Players Who Could Decide the Divisional Round Showdown
The San Francisco 49ers recorded the biggest upset of Wild Card weekend, defeating the Philadelphia Eagles 23-19. Running back Christian McCaffrey scored two touchdowns, wide receiver Demarcus Robinson topped 100 yards receiving while recording a score, and while it wasn't his...