Eight things that have caught my eye after eight 49ers’ practices
SANTA CLARA — Eight things that caught my eye through eight practices of 49ers’ training camp:
1. Mac Jones is not a stationary target
The new backup for Brock Purdy lasted until No. 15 in the first round of the 2021 NFL Draft in part because of a 4.82 40-yard dash time. He rarely ran at Alabama, which grows NFL caliber receivers on trees, and has 419 yards rushing in and a 2.9 yards per carry average in 52 games and 49 starts with New England and Jacksonville.
Purdy, by contrast, had 323 yards in 15 games last season alone. While Jones isn’t as nifty as Purdy, he hasn’t been shy about taking free yards when given the opportunity. When discussing his mobility Friday, Jones invoked another famous albeit fictional Alabama player.
“I guess everyone thinks I’m really slow,” Jones said. “I look like Forrest Gump out there.”
Jones, 6-foot-3, 214 pounds said he’s worked on his speed and quickness and quarterbacks coach Mick Lombardi has stressed taking the free five yards on first down after going through his reads.
“It makes it easier on Kyle (Shanahan) to call the game, like first-and-10 to second-and-5 instead of second-and-10,” Jones said. “Getting the cheap yards has been good.”
2. The stars have played like stars
Nick Bosa, George Kittle and Fred Warner are having very strong camps and if younger players are playing follow the leader as expected it’s a good sign. Bosa was dominant Friday and Kittle has been the entire camp. His connection with Purdy is uncanny.
As for Warner, he made up so much ground the other day on a deep pass to Kyle Juszczyk it stunned the Pro Bowl fullback.
“When the ball was in the air and I saw no one was there I thought there was no chance initially he even gets close,” Juszczyk said. “I thought this is going to be easy. But by the time the ball got to me Fred was right there for a contested catch. I think that is one of many examples of the difference between him and other linebackers.”
Considering we saw almost nothing of McCaffrey a year ago when Achilles tendinitis entered the 49ers’ daily vernacular, to see him running and receiving on Aug. 1 is a welcome sight.
3. Revolving door at receiver
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak tried his best to paint the absences of Brandon Aiyuk (rehab), Jauan Jennings (calf) and Ricky Pearsall (staggered practice schedule) in a positive light because it offered opportunities to others.
Aiyuk won’t be ready in the early part of the season. Jennings’ status is not known, and hopefully for the 49ers not tied to ongoing contract extension negotiations. Pearsall at least, had a very good day Friday.
“I think towards the end of the last season, you saw Ricky come out his shell, he was playing within our system and timing, so he is going to continue to learn who he is as a receiver and what his strengths are and I’m going to continue to learn with him and that excites me,” Purdy said.
The 49ers await a decision on an anticipation suspension for Demarcus Robinson after pleading no contest to DUI. They’re likely going to be without the player who has been the best receiver in camp for two or three games. Jacob Cowing (hamstring) has missed valuable time after being injured during the first practice and will return the week preceding the 49ers’ second exhibition game against the Raiders.
4. Big week upcoming for Nick Martin, Upton Stout
Martin, a third-round pick out of Oklahoma State, is a smallish but explosive 5-foot-11, 221-pound weak side linebacker. Stout 5-11, 181 is getting plenty of work at slot corner. They’ve looked good in pads so far but a bigger test will come when the 49ers have joint practices with Denver heading into their Aug. 9 preseason opener.
Watching from a distance in the stands, seeing Stout standing alongside 6-5, 332-pound tackle Alfred Collins is almost comical.
“Upton, he is a straining, scrappy young man, don’t fall asleep on his size,” defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. “I mean, the guy plays way bigger than he is and way bigger than he looks. “
Martin appears to be running behind Dee Winters, who is having an excellent camp in his bid to replace Dre Greenlaw, but Saleh likes that he sees.
“One thing we’re not worried about with him is his violence, getting off a block, and understanding how to get to the football,” Saleh said. “He just has to continue mastering the scheme to give himself the opportunity to play fast.”
5. Cornerback conundrum
With Renardo Green (hamstring) and Deommodore Lenoir (hip) not practicing, it’s been mix and match at cornerback with Darrell Luter, Trey Brown, Siran Neal, Trey Avery, Chase Lucas and recent signee Eli Apple in the mix. Dallis Flowers, who had 23 games and five starts in three seasons in Indianapolis, has made some plays, as had undrafted free agent Jakob Robinson.
Brown and Flowers got their chance with the first team Friday.
“We’ve been rotating a bunch of guys, giving different guys opportunities to go in with the ones, and we’ll continue that all the way throughout training camp,” Saleh said.
If the 49ers don’t have either Green or Lenoir ready to go Week 1, they’ll be perusing the waiver wire.
6. Sizing up the defensive tackles
Rookie C.J. West, described as a fire hydrant by Saleh at 6-1, 316, continues to have an impressive camp. He’s outplaying second-rounder Alfred Collins, but they don’t play with the same style. West had a strong day Friday in both blocking drills an team sessions. He’s limping a bit with an ankle injury, but keeps taking the field — something coaches love.
Collins, to be fair, missed all of OTAs with a calf injury so he’s a little behind and more of a roadblock than penetrator. He was a second-round pick out of Texas.
7. The safety race
Jacob Pinnock had an interception of Purdy Friday and looks to be a Week 1 starter barring injury. Ji’Ayir Brown had a scheduled day off but said he feels light years ahead of where he was a year ago. Brown had an interception in Super Bowl LVIII but had a nerve injury in his shoulder on a fourth quarter tackle of Travis Kelce.
He seldom felt at his best last season and appeared to bond better with Steve Wilks at defensive coordinator in 2023 than Nick Sorensen in 2024.
“Steve Wilks was one of my guys,” Brown said. “Different styles, different messages.”
8. Camp without Papa
Few people watch practice more intently than radio-play-by-play man and KNBR host Greg Papa, a Bay Area announcing institution who said he will take time off while receiving treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.
Papa is a year sideline fixture with the 49ers as he was with the Raiders, free to roam areas off limits to local media but always taking time to talk with reporters about what they’re seeing and what he’s seeing.
He won’t be around for training camp this year and will be missed, but here’s hoping he can get back in the booth at some point this season.
Derek Papa, Greg’s son and a KNBR co-host of “Dirty Work” with Adam Copeland, said this on the air Friday:
“I know all of you want my father to get back soon to be on the air, and I want that too. But first and foremost, as his son, I want him to be alive. And he’s fighting right now and it will be a battle, but I have a lot of faith that he will get through this.”