Shots in the dark: Things I might think I know

Tre's note: Well it's been ages since I wrote a fanpost so I figured why not throw one together, write without stopping, no proofreading...so here ya go!

We've had nearly a full week of traning camp thus far (well, "we" haven't...but anyone who doesn't picture themselves there, at camp, even going through the drills...should just turn in their 49ers fan-card right now).  Based on the micro-storylines that possibly mean nothing...I choose to take it a step further and crank up the speculation machine.

What do we know, or think we know so far?  I'm going to tell you...after the jump.

Injuries

David Baas - Concussion - Day to day

This is giving Mike Iupati all the 1st team reps at Left Guard (LG).  I think most of us expected "Big Mike" to take over the spot eventually anyways, some felt by week 1 even.  I think this as well as some other injuries fall into the "Isaac Bruce" category we all went through last year when Crabtree finally signed.  Suddenly Bruce was injured and didn't dress for games, thus opening the door for Crabtree.  I'm not calling it conspiracy, just saying the coaches can sigh in relief that they didn't have to just "hand the job" over to the young guy.

Chilo Rachal - Dehydration - Day to day

Yet again, this forced Adam Snyder into the RG spot (after Tony Wragge began there, but wait...another injury mucked that all up...we'll get to that next) and as a result, gave Anthony Davis 1st team reps at RT.  Curious indeed.  The big fella still needs work on his pass protection though, so I'm not calling the spot his just yet, despite the convenient timing of things.

Eric Heitmann - Stinger - So far just missed PM practice Wed.

When Chilo first went down, Wragge moved into the RG spot, then Heitmann curiously got a stinger and Wragge had to snap the ball...moving Snyder over to RG, and the domino effect continued as Davis moved into starting RT spot (in camp, for one day...which means until the end of the earth).

Nate Byham - Rolled ankle - Day to day?

Ummm...oh, sorry, lost my train of thought...anyways...WHO CARES!  Sorry, not too into the TE "competition" for 3rd and possibly unnecessary TE.

Delanie Walker - Concussion - Day to day

This gave one of the other 14 TE's a chance to come in and not run as fast or catch as well as Delanie...a shocking development.  Yawn.

Scott McKillop - Torn ACL, Patellar - Season-ending

McKillop lead all Special Teams (ST's) tacklers last season and was said to be looking better this camp than his rookie year.  Bowman has struggled in a position change, slightly undersized, and is somewhat raw.  This could give Bowman needed reps to improve, or it could end up being a serious injury that screws up our ST's to a degree...I'm hoping, and believing someone will step up like Bowman, Dixon, etc.

Other impressions

Crabtree goes to the Pro Bowl this year...ok, maybe as an alternate.  The kid is on fire and we hear nothing to the contrary.  He dropped a deep ball, which is weird for flypaper-hands-Crabtree but part of me thinks Maiocco was lying.  He's jealous of Crabtree's hair.

Ted Ginn, Jr. is going to see time on offense.  And not just as a gimmick player.  They'll take their chances chucking it deep to him, I mean, if he catches half of the deep balls, and they throw two a game, the safeties have to keep one eye on him.  That free's up Vernon Davis, the aforementioned Crabtree, and others not to mention it keeps the safety out of the box for Frank Gore to destructinate defenses...yeah, I think that came from Phineas and Ferb (Doofenscmirtz).

Who the heck is playing in the slot?  Williams is built for it...but I haven't heard his name much at all thus far.  Hill is a good option there too because he's a great zone-beater (not wife-beater...but Dominique Zeigler wears one in his twitter profile pic) and has a knack for getting open.  Still...this is as clear as mud.  Crabtree has also been mentioned as moving around a lot.  I guess all this unpredictability is good to keep defenses guessing...and fans.

The Fullbacks are in camp with a purpose.  They're knocking people down, throwing them aside, flattening them...this is good.  I have no idea who will start at FB come week 1 but my gut says it could be Moran Norris again with Brit Miller seeing good time on special teams and maybe eventually taking over at FB.  Miller has been a man possessed in camp thus far with his blocking and receiving.

We have a mid-sized back who does it all, a slightly smaller back who likes to run hard in the middle, and a huge back who likes to dance around like Walter Payton.  Weird.  Sounds like if Glen Coffee and/or Anthony Dixon can play ST's, they'll all three be on the roster.  Again, unpredictability? 

Our secondary needs to defend the deep ball better.  That and/or the offense is going to throw the ball deep a ton this year, successfully.  Maybe it's both...Hopefully iron does sharpen iron in this case and they both learn how to refine their role in the long passing game.  I for one though am tired of watching a 49ers DB get beat deep, especially safeties *cough Roman*.  Greg Manusky told Curtis Taylor the other day to "Stay the hell back there Curtis!" after Taylor was beaten deep.

I think our front seven is going to severely injure a lot of people this year, inadvertently.  Still not sure about the Left Defensive End position (holding out hope for Ray McDonald or Kentwan Balmer but both have been quiet this week) but otherwise it sounds like our LB's and Justin Smith are getting all up in the offense's face with great regularity.

The offensive line will still be the #1 issue going into week 1...or question mark at least.  I think we'll be better there just because there was no new OC, system, players coming in late, getting hurt, swapping positions, then getting hurt again...of course some more camp injuries could change that.  My point is there is more continuity and cohesiveness this year and we have a heck of a OL coach in Mike Solari and assistant Ray Brown, both McKittrick disciples.  They are fundamentals guys and hard-asses (Solari is anyways) which fits the mold of the team.  Manusky can't be the only one cursing at the players, after all.

Our return game should be good.  Again, the team has fostered a big competition there and everyone seems to be answering the call.  No muffs the other day which was a great thing to hear after all of the issues earlier in OTA's and mini-camp.  All of these guys except "the money pit" are explosive and have significant return experience.  I think (hope) Ginn will be kick returner and Kyle Williams as punt returner, maybe Vann as both if he can impress and it doesn't hurt the roster spots elsewhere.  Either way we have actual returners this year instead of washed-up wide receivers and demoted starting cornerbacks!  Hey, I know, let's try some reverse punt returns!

We have a lot of depth, and roster cuts are going to be tricky.  There is good talent across the board, making me wish we could keep 60 players.  I hope no one get's poached on the way to the Practice Squad as the team has been known to call players up in the past.  Then again, some players have used up their PS eligibility, which sucks.  Prepare the Kleenex...some Kory Sheets's's will be again leaving for greener pastures this year.

Lastly, Vernon Davis has been completely, utterly, without a doubt unstoppable in practice.  Nobody can stop him and he's averaging like 3 TD's per session.  I don't know if this is a sign that nobody will be able to stop him in 2010 or that the defense needs work on covering speedy TE's...all I know is that they need to challenge him more in practice because it doesn't seem to be working, whatever they're doing to try and stop him.

Did I miss anything?  Let me know and I'll either blow you off or consider adding it as if it was my idea all along.