SANTA CLARA – Here’s who stood out in the eighth practice of the 49ers training camp. The players will step up on Monday, then practice again on Tuesday and finish camp on Friday. They have reached the final stretch.
THE GOOD
1. Free security Jimmie Ward.
Read Jimmy Garoppolo’s eyes from the center of the box and sprint all the way to the sideline to break a deep pass meant for Kendrick Bourne, who hit Ahkello Witherspoon in the corner. This was the best play I’ve ever seen Ward make in an NFL practice as a game. He seems to be improving his instincts and reaction time at free safety, having played a full season there in 2019 for the first time since joining the league. The 49ers are not needed and have absolutely no need to sign Earl Thomas, who just cut the Ravens. He’s old and players do not like him. The Ravens certainly did not know that. So why should the 49ers have to take that headache? They already have Ward, who is at least better than Thomas.
2. Cornerback Emmanuel Moseley.
After breaking a deep pass intended for Brandon Aiyuk on Saturday, Moseley refused on Sunday two more deep passes to Aiyuk. In the second deep pass, Aiyuk appeared to pull his hamstring. More on him later. Moseley has not given up long catches at camp and is clearly one of the two best corners on the team. I understand the 49ers want Moseley to compete for a starting job, but he’s crushing the competition.
3. Linebacker Kwon Alexander.
Garoppolo intended to throw a long pass up to Bourne, who ran a deep horn route. Alexander read Garoppolo’s eyes, backpedaled, jumped and tipped the ball away. One of the most athletic plays of training camp. Alexander is phenomenal in sun coverage.
4. Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw.
Save yourself after a rough Saturday practice. Sunday, he finally hit left-handed tackle Laken Tomlinson during one-on-one pass-rush drills, hitting him for the first time in camp. Kinlaw used a rip motion to defeat Tomlinson, and Tomlinson fell down and tried to block the rookie. Later, Kinlaw twice beat rookie guard Colton McKivitz, who beat Kinlaw twice in the same drill on Saturday. Kinlaw is not yet a polished pass-rusher, but he is certainly improving.
5. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
Good Jimmy finally came back after Bad Jimmy had taken over the past two practices. On Sunday, Garoppolo threw zero picks, made no bad decisions and completed 68 percent of his pass. He threw a deep pass to Jerick McKinnon, but to be honest, I’ve never thrown Garoppolo deep into McKinnon before. They will need time to get to the same page.
6. Run back Jerick McKinnon.
Burned Pro Bowl middle linebacker Fred Warner with a wheelbarrow up the sideline during team practice, but Garoppolo knocked him over. McKinnon pigeon for the ball – just completely explained, what I like to see. I hate when receivers see a well-thrown pass land two feet in front of them. Yes, I’m looking at you, Emmanuel Sanders. You should have pigeons for Garoppolo’s deep pass in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. McKinnon would have.
7. Tevin Coleman running back.
Has the longest run of the day – a 30-yard run ran to the right of the offensive line. Coleman seems to be making a slot to make the 53-man roster, starting Week 1 against the Cardinals, running the ball on the 49ers’ first offensive game and getting three yards. Can’t wait.
8. Close a Charlie Woerner.
Ross Dwelley missed his second consecutive practice with a foot injury, so Woerner for a day became the No. 2 tight end and played well. Garoppolo threw him four passes and Woerner picked up three. And the imperfect pass was behind Woerner, so Garoppolo was to blame, not the rookie tight end. Woerner is clearly a better player than last year’s sixth pick of the year, tight end Kaden Smith, who is a complete stiff.
9. Left tackle Trent Williams.
Buried Arik Armstead’s face in the dirt during team drills. The 49ers ran the ball towards Armstead, which he did not expect. He tried to duck under Williams and was just crushed. Finished with face down on the ground but appeared really fast so no one would notice. I noticed, Arik.
THE NOT SO GOOD
1. Defending a Dee Ford.
Practice left with what appeared to be a right calf injury. Suffer the injury during one-on-one pass-rush drills. Tried to hit Mike McGlinchey from the right with a speed around the edge and came up lame. The trainers checked him and rubbed his right calf before taking Ford off the field. No word yet on the seriousness of the injury, but it’s starting to look like Ford will never be completely healthy for the 49ers. Shame.
2. Broad receiver Brandon Aiyuk.
Exercise left with what turned out to be a hamstring injury. Aiyuk ran a deep route against cornerback Emmanuel Moseley when the injury occurred. Aiyuk jogged extremely slowly back to the huddle and never came back into action. He saw the rest of the sideline practice. Aiyuk had a great camp, but this is the kind of pitch that a rookie season can escape from a wide receiver. Dante Pettis is the next man on the 49ers depth card, meaning they have problems with wide receiver. Are they desperate enough to sign Antonio Brown or Dez Bryant? We’ll see.
3. Guard Ross Reynolds.
Lefts practice with an unknown injury. Sit on the floor for three or four minutes. The 49ers stopped practicing out of respect for Reynolds. A coach rushed towards him, and then immediately jumped as hard as he could across the field. That’s how you knew the injury was serious. The coach picked up the cart and rode it over to Reynolds, and all the attacking linemen ran over and helped lift Reynolds into the cart, then placed him on the shoulder pads as he rode with his head down. I was really moved by the compassion that the 49ers showed a injured player.
Defensive one Nick Bosa.
Missed his second day in a row after leaving practice early Friday. The 49ers say Bosa has no injuries. Do you believe them? I’m not sure I do. To be honest, Bosa has reviewed the past two practices of the sideline and does not appear to be offended. Maybe the 49ers just want to protect him, which would be smart. They would probably have to protect Ford today as well.
5. Broad receiver Dante Pettis.
Throws a beautifully shot deep pass from CJ Beathard. Pettis let the ball graze from his fingertips, and did not dive for the ball as McKinnon did. Pettis played exceptionally well on Tuesday, but has not played particularly well since. Get it together, Dante. The 49ers need you now.
6. Daniel Brunskill Center.
Still having great time at center. Today, Kentavius Street pushed Brunskill through at once. Brunskill cannot start Week 1 at center for the 49ers. The fact that they have not signed a center probably means that they expect Ben Garland, who has an ankle injury, to be healthy soon. He should be better.
7. Quarterback Nick Mullens.
Throws only four passes all morning – strangely, seeing Beathard throw 10. And Mullens completed three of his four passes. But the fourth pass was intercepted by linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. Mullens has thrown three picks in the past three practices. So un-Mullens of him.
8. Close a Jordan Reed.
Warm up with the 49ers but not really practicing with them. He strutted and jogged and threw some shadow stamps. Routes run, do not pass or block. Does not even have pads. I have no idea if he’s still a good footballer, but he’s an elite stretcher.
