49ers Training Camp Update: Injury updates

The 49ers had a normal day of practice yesterday as they began their preparations for the Oakland Raiders this weekend. Coach Singletary spoke with the media as you've probably already seen in the Nuggets. I thought I'd pull out a few of the more interesting comments from his media session yesterday.

I found the big issue to be an update on some of the more pertinent injury news. The biggest being Singletary's indication that Ahmad Brooks isn't expected to miss playing time in the regular season. He indicated that the trainers felt fairly positive he'd be fine come week 1 and that they were simply playing it safe for now.

If Brooks is indeed healthy, but hasn't played in any of the preseason games leading up to the opener, how do you handle the OLB rotation that first game against the Seahawks? We don't know if both Diyral Briggs and Travis LaBoy will be on the 53-man roster, but at least one of them will. If they've been getting all the reps, do you work Brooks back into the OLB rotation slowly? Or do you just get Brooks out there week 1 (assuming he is in fact good to go) and see where his natural talents take him?

The other injury update was that Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree remain day to day. This media session was before practice, but Maiocco (and others) provided an update that Crabtree did return to full practice today. While timing is certainly something worth working on between Crabtree and Smith, Crabtree is definitely one of those guys that the team will be extra cautious with in the preseason. Given how he came in during the middle of last season, I'm not overly concerned by the team's kid glove handling of Crabtree. After all, he's been working with Smith on and off throughout the offseason so chemistry is not remotely the issue it was when he made his NFL debut in week 7 last year.

The other comment of particular note was in regards to cornerback Phillip Adams. The 49ers second preseason game saw Adams put together a very strong performance on special teams and as a cornerback. Singletary was asked if Adams would get more playing time earlier in the game to see if he could fit as a fourth corner, to which Singletary responded:

"I think right now, it was nice to see him have a good game the other night. But, I think right now it's just important for us to continue to evaluate him and not put him in a situation where it's a little too big for him. I think we put him in, at the time he was in, the receiver that he was going against, I can't even remember what team it was in terms of first, second, third. Maybe third, or whatever, but I just think it was nice to see him have some swagger. It was nice to see him have some nice breaks. It was nice to see him really trust his hamstring. That's really been bothering him a little bit and it's always that psychological factor that you have to overcome in order to get in the game and make breaks like he did. So, I don't know. We just have to evaluate it and continue to look at it."

So Adams still has some work to do. Is there enough time left in the preseason for Adams to actually work his way past the likes of Karl Paymah and Will James? I would think given the 4th corner role, all things being equal I'd go with the young guy. At this point, even if either Paymah or James earned the 4th CB role, Adams would probably still make the team. However, it seems like the team would want to start working Adams into the 4th CB role over time. It's not as important as other roles on the team, so they can take their time. But it's definitely worth considering.

Coach Singletary's trans cript is after the jump.

Head Coach Mike Singletary
Pre-Practice - August 24, 2010
San Francisco 49ers

On WR Michael Crabtree and TE Vernon Davis injury status:

"I think it's day-to-day."

On whether Crabtree and Vernon Davis will practice today:

"In all honestly, I'm not sure. I think they'll practice but I'm not sure. I really haven't had a chance to - I've been looking at a lot of other stuff today, so I really haven't had a chance to do that. I think they'll practice."

On his intentions in playing T Anthony Davis against Indianapolis Colts' DE Robert Mathis:

"I think it was good to see the matchup. It was good to see where he was, and it's a great opportunity to see the speed of the game without having some help, feeling the whole thing, feeling the anxiety of playing against a premiere pass rusher in the game, one of them. And just allowing him to get out there and see if he can handle it and see how he responds."

On Anthony Davis' progress between games one and two:

"I thought he did a pretty good job. Back in game one, I thought he did a pretty good job. I think Mathis just rushing up field, just a regular rush, I think Anthony Davis did a good job. I think it's the games that got him. But as far as just a straight pass rush, I thought Anthony Davis held his own."

On what stood out in the Minnesota game:

"On either side of the ball? I think the execution of the offense in the first series, that's the number one thing that jumps out. I think everything was clicking, but I think the execution was at a premium."

On whether there was a common theme in what was going wrong with run blocking:

"Yes, I think what happens a lot of times, when we played against Indianapolis, that was one type of defense, particularly against the run. Those guys really just get up the field. They want to go get the quarterback. This defense that we just played against Minnesota, they're built to stop the run. They still run a 4-3, they play Tampa, but at the same time, those two big guys up front and the way they attack the line of scrimmage, the way their perimeter people play, they're built to stop the run. So, I thought it was a tremendous test for us. Same front but a different mindset in what they were trying to do. And I think the ineffectiveness of our running game was a combination of guys not being patient, the running backs not being patient and not just hitting it up in there. I think it was a great opportunity for us this early for [RB] Anthony Dixon to have a chance to play against that and for our line to block against that and know that it's all about continuing to hammer it, continuing to be faithful to it and not go away from it and success will come. I just think Anthony Dixon just did a little bit too much dancing and wasn't as patient as he needed to be and trusting as he needed to be just to hit it, and trust the hole will be there. It's kind of like a blind faith running."

On what the plan is with QB Nate Davis and whether he regressed:

"I don't know yet. I don't know yet. I'm not going to say regress. I'm not even going to use that word. The only thing I'm going to say is that we have to look at practice and look at what we really need to see this week, what we really need to accomplish as a team. It's not about Nate Davis going into the game, it's about our team and I think it's just really important for us as a staff to really take a step back. I think last week, the thing we wanted to see was let's see where Nate is as a quarterback. But, that was last week. So now we go forward and we need to look at what else do we need to see? What else can we take the time, have the luxury of this game to go out and find out about ourselves.  So that's what we're going to do."

On whether he is comfortable with [QB] David Carr as a backup:

"I am comfortable, yes."

On why WR Bobby Guillory did all the returning against Minnesota:

"I think the biggest thing that I wanted to do, we brought the kid in. He's a quick twitch guy out here. He caught some punts and I just felt, you know what, why don't we let him take it. Let's see how he does, let's see how he handles it. It was a lot to put on a young kid but I thought he did a pretty decent job of it."

On why WR LeRoy Vann wasn't given the opportunity to play in a game:

"We felt that giving LeRoy Vann the opportunity in practice to look and see what he was doing, we felt that he wasn't as consistent catching the ball. We just felt that after a while we really needed to move on and we felt that he wasn't the answer. And to be honest with you, we needed to see that last week with Guillory, to see if he was the answer, or at least part of it. So, it was just an opportunity for him to get in there and take it and let us see where he's at."        

On whether a move has been made with Guillory and if he is still here:

"I think he's still here. Yeah, I think he's still here."

On where they stand with kick and punt returns:

"I don't know. We may try somebody else this week, but we'll just see how it goes. We're not overly concerned about the punt right now. I think we have a couple of guys - we have [WR Ted] Ginn if we need to put him in there, and we may let him catch one or two before the preseason is over, just to get his timing down, just to get a feel for it. But, I didn't think it was necessary last week."

On whether they are close to making roster cuts this week or if they will wait until next week:

"Next week."

On whether RB Frank Gore will get carries in the next game:

"It's possible."

On what Gore needs to get out of the preseason:

"I think it comes down to timing. I think it's like everything else; you have a runner, a very good runner. You want to be careful but at the same time you don't want to limit him too much. I just think you want to be wise; you want to make good decisions. We know what Frank can do, but with this line, our offensive line have not really had the opportunity to feel the timing of Frank, to really feel his quickness and the way he makes cuts and things like that in a live situation. So, if we were to do that, it would be because of that, to give our line a chance to see it."

On how important it is to give the line a chance to see Gore because there are two rookies in the starting lineup:

"I don't know. As we talk about it, we'll discuss it and see if we feel it's necessary or not."

On whether it is a priority to get Gore, RB Brian Westbrook, Vernon Davis and Crabtree on the field during preseason:

"I think its very good for us to get them on the field out here. I think all those guys are mature enough to be able to go into a game. It's not like this is the first time they've done it. So as I said before, we just have to look at it and see if we need to make a move like that, but we'll have to decide."

On whether LB Ahmad Brooks has had enough time to recover from his kidney injury:

"I think right now with Ahmad Brooks, the thing that he can do now is continue to move forward and do the running, do the exercise, do the lifting, and we'll evaluate him on a week-to-week basis. We'll see how it goes."

On whether Brooks' injury will last into the regular season:

"I don't think so. I talked to our trainers and they feel very positive about it, but we're just being smart about it."

On whether he has a sense of how severe WR Kyle Williams' sprain is and when he will be able to get on the field:

"At this point, we're just continuing to evaluate him. We'll just see week-in, week-out how that goes. But it was a pretty good sprain there."

On what has impressed him with Carr:

"Consistency. I think he's a very calm guy. He has a good command of the offense, of the huddle. I think our guys have a good feel for him. So, I think he's a guy that has been consistent and comfortable is the word that I would have. I feel very comfortable with him as the backup right now."

On whether he wants to get CB Phillip Adams in games earlier and see if he might be a fourth corner:

"I think right now, it was nice to see him have a good game the other night. But, I think right now it's just important for us to continue to evaluate him and not put him in a situation where it's a little too big for him. I think we put him in, at the time he was in, the receiver that he was going against, I can't even remember what team it was in terms of first, second, third. Maybe third, or whatever, but I just think it was nice to see him have some swagger. It was nice to see him have some nice breaks. It was nice to see him really trust his hamstring. That's really been bothering him a little bit and it's always that psychological factor that you have to overcome in order to get in the game and make breaks like he did. So, I don't know. We just have to evaluate it and continue to look at it."

On whether he looks at week three of the preseason differently than week one or two:

"Traditionally, week three is the week that you normally play more. But once again, I just think that it's important for us to kind of look at where we are and what we need to see, not just do it because everybody does it, but do what's best for us and our team - look at the guys that we have the opportunity to look at right now and give everybody a fair look."