SANTA CLARA — No Trent Williams, no Brandon Aiyuk.
No problem.
Williams, the holdout left tackle, was placed on the did not report list. Aiyuk is presumably somewhere in the building although there was no sign of him on the field Thursday as the 49ers held their second practice of training camp.
The 49ers, of course, have lots of talented players, and it’s not as if missing a left tackle — even one as good as Williams — is going to show up in a non-padded practice.
So with heavy doses of running back Christian McCaffrey and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, the 49ers looked on track to be very good again offensively.
Quarterback Brock Purdy continually found open receivers in short and medium range throws. McCaffrey looked as explosive as ever both as a rusher and receiver. And Samuel looked pretty much unguardable for the second straight day.
Nick Sorensen, who replaced Steve Wilks as defensive coordinator, said saw good things as well others that need work.
“It’s never perfect,” Sorensen said. “There’s always something that can be fixed. The effort I’ve liked — they’re playing hard, communicating really well. I think we fit the run game better today than yesterday. We’ve been competing outside covering guys. It’s been fun to watch. We’ll see.”
McCaffrey’s offseason that included marriage and a contract extension did nothing to prevent him from hitting the ground at warp speed after being held out of team sessions on Day 1.
“I haven’t seen the full tape yet,” McCaffrey said. “There’s good and bad at every training camp and I think the most important thing is to capitalized on the good things and fix the bad things.”
Tight end George Kittle contributed two receptions during team sessions and center Jake Brendel, expected to be monitored closely with a knee issue, participated fully for the second straight day.
Smiling through the pain
The 49ers are still smarting from their 25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl in Super Bowl LVIII. Imagine going through it in consecutive years. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave was with the Philadelphia Eagles, who lost 38-35 to the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII after leading 24-14 t halftime.
When asked about it, all Hargrave could do was grin and bear it.
“Of course the last one (hurts the most) because it’s the second in a row,” Hargrave said. “The first one I was jut happy to be there. Last year was tough after being there the year before and losing.”
Slowed by a hamstring injury against Seattle in December, Hargrave is looking for a stronger finish in 2024. He was the 49ers’ prize free agent signing last offseason, signing a four-year contract worth a maximum of $84 million.
“It wasn’t my best year. It definitely wasn’t one of my worst years,” Hargrave said. “I want bigger things as a team and as an individual player, be way better than I was last year.”
Offensive play of the day
Even with all the good work put in by McCaffrey and Samuel, the most sensational play came from the guy wearing Samuel’s old No. 19.
That would be Trent Taylor, who played for the 49ers from 2017-20 and will compete for a roster spot as a receiver and punt return specialist.
Taylor made a sprawling catch of a Brandon Allen pass about midway through practice, a ball he appeared to have little chance to catch yet somehow did. Taylor spent the last three years in Cincinnati, where played with Allen, but 79 of his 87 career reception came with the 49ers and 731 of his 834 yards.
A fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech, Taylor was selected 31 spots after tight end George Kittle.
A close second was a Brock Purdy medium depth hass that bounced off the hands of Chris Conley and somehow wound up in the hands of tight end Eric Saubert.
Defensive play of the day
Cornerback Darrell Luter Jr., shadowing wide receiver Jauan Jennings, made a leaping high-point interception off a pass by Josh Dobbs.
Luter will compete cornerback group that is deeper than usual with returnees Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir, holdover Ambry Thomas and free agents Isaac Yiadom and Rock Ya-Sin.
“He’s got good size, length,” Sorensen said. “The pick he had today was awesome. He just went up and snatched it, high-pointed and took it. The progress with him is using the size and length that he’s got.”
First practice with fans
The 49ers held their first practice with fans in the stands, with linebacker Fred Warner making his way to the bleachers to ratchet up the intensity.
Rookie lineman Jarrett Kingston, a sixth-round draft pick out of USC, made his way all the way to the barrier to exchange greetings.
Fans in house today for second 49ers practice, and rookie OL Jarrett Kingston is loving it. pic.twitter.com/qGFmcf70mO
— Jerry McDonald (@Jerrymcd) July 25, 2024
The infirmary
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles’), safety Talanoa Hufanga (knee) and defensive end Drake Jackson (patellar tendon) remain out on the physically unable to perform list, as does first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall Jr. Pearsall strained a hamstring away from the team and is on the NFI (non-football related injury) list.
Running back Isaac Guerrendo, who appeared to strain a hamstring at Wednesday’s practice, was not on the field. No word yet on the severity of the injury. Linebacker Demetrius Flanigan-Fowles and wide receiver Tay Martin were also missing.
Diversity coaching fellows
Ronald Blair III, who spent four seasons with the 49ers as a defensive line coach, is working with the team as one of seven diversity coaching fellows, a program established by former coach Bill Walsh throughout the league. Blair will work with Kris Kocurek and the defensive line.
Also with the 49er is Salvador Delgado, currently an offensive line quality control coach at San Jose State, who will work with wide receivers.
The others are defensive backs coach Pierre Cormier (defensive backs), Jordan Holland (defensive backs), Angel Matute (offensive line), Rusty McKinney (tight ends) and Drew Smith (special teams).
Related Articles
Kurtenbach: Why Brandon Aiyuk’s absence matters for the 49ers, and why Trent Williams’ doesn’t
49ers training camp: It’s the same old Brock Purdy, and that’s a good thing
Trent Williams holding out of 49ers training camp over contract
Brandon Aiyuk is a ‘hold-in’ on Day 1 of 49ers training camp
Shanahan: Belichick ‘politely turned down’ 49ers job this offseason
Miscellaneous
— Wide receiver Malik Turner was added to the roster with Williams being placed on the reserve/did not report list. Turner played three games with the 49ers in 2022 and has spent time with Seattle and Dallas. He has 29 receptions for 414 yards for his career.
— With Williams out, the 49ers had Jaylon Moore working with the first team at left tackle, backed up by 11-year veteran Chris Hubbard and first-year player Sebastian Gutierrez of Minot State.
Hubbard started nine games at right tackle last season for Tennessee and has 94 career games with 58 starts.
— Place kicker Jake Moody converted all four of his field goal opportunities at distances ranging from 35 to 45 yards.
— Cornerback Samuel Womack III had a sideline breakup of a Dobbs pass intended for Danny Gray.
— Safety Malik Mustapha, a fourth-round pick, made a downfield play to break up a pass for the second straight day.
