Jim Harbaugh talks practice returns, Marcus Martin, Marcus Lattimore and more

How are you?

"Good, how are you?"

Good. How was your bye week?

"Good."

You come back to some team photos. Why so late? Do you always take team photos this time of year?

"It varies. It was a good day, good day. Got good practice in today, good meetings, good start to the week."

You had DL Glenn Dorsey back today and RB Marcus Lattimore as well? What was their participation levels?

"We activated Glenn's window. Marcus Lattimore, we'll open his window on Wednesday."

Why the delay for Marcus?

"It's a 21-day window and feel like 21 days went in on a game day and during his three weeks after we play a ballgame we'll be able to evaluate better on a Monday and a Tuesday that roster spot, that was the thinking."

How did Glenn do out there today?

"Today? Participated in individuals. Conditioning was really good. We'll ramp it up more as the week goes on."

Do you have any idea kind of when LB NaVorro Bowman might be back in this three-week window?

"No."

Was C Marcus Martin one of the guys who stuck around during the bye week?

"Yeah, I saw him here on Tuesday, Wednesday."

What kinds of things did he work on when he was here?

"Met with coach [49ers offensive line coach Mike] Solari."

And was LB Patrick Willis able to practice today?

"He did individual, limited in practice."

And G Mike Iupati?

"Yeah, he's been fully cleared and he practiced."

Is NaVorro making some progress that gives you any encouraging signs?

"Yes, he's definitely making progress."

What is he able to do?

"He's running. He's doing some lateral cutting. He's progressing. Nothing to report today about a time table."

Have you heard anything from the NFL about LB Aldon Smith and when he might be, or if he could be, reinstated before the nine-week suspension?

"No."

And CB Chris Cook was placed on IR. What's the extent of that injury? Is it the hamstring?

"It was a hamstring, but pulled some bone off. So, he's going to be out for the season."

How does that impact your cornerback and special teams units?

"It impacts it and we've added [S] Bubba Ventrone and we're still one spot that's open."

Is that an injury that they can surgically fix in the hamstring or is that something that just lay off, rest?

"No, it's surgery. Had surgery last Friday."

Last week you said the coaches were going to come in and do work. What part of that was looking over the first seven games and things where the team can improve and what part of just looking forward to game planning for the next opponent?

"We did both those things. Looked at what we'd done up to this point through seven games and what we've done well, what we can improve. And also game planning our next opponent."

How was CB Chris Cook playing in your view and will be he be hard to replace?

"I thought he was playing well, proving himself. Doing a very good job."

Will he be hard to replace?

"Yeah. You don't ever want to lose a player to injury for the season. There's going to have to be other players that step up, fill the role on special teams and in the secondary."

CB Chris Culliver and DB Jimmie Ward practice today?

"Yes."

Just individuals or did they participate fully?

"Chris was full. Jimmie was a little more limited."

With the trade deadline coming up tomorrow, do you expect anything to happen as far as the 49ers are concerned?

"I don't expect anything to happen."

Was Marcus Martin out there with the first-team group?

"Yes."

How's he looking? I know it's just one practice, but, in command?

"Yeah. That's a pretty good way to say it. He was impressive today. Feel good about what he's done leading up to now, the position he's put himself in. As we've talked about before, he's been very good in the classroom and he's able to carry that onto the field. Good. Look forward to more practices."

Is it too early to get too excited about some of these reinforcements, some of these guys getting healthy? There's still a little bit of a window, right? You probably aren't penciling them in yet or are you?

"No. There's the window to open up practice and get back into, let the instincts be honed and their reactions, et cetera. There will be a process there."

You talked in the past about the jump guys can make from year one to year two can be dramatic. Where's TE Vance McDonald at in that year two jump. Has he made that jump, I guess, is what I'm asking?

"Yeah. He's doing a very good job. Really pleased with the way he's blocking. We'd like to get him the ball more. But, I feel good about Vance."

You talked about getting him the ball more. Has he shown he can be a reliable pass catcher in your eyes?

"Yes. He's proven himself."

Back to Aldon. You said you haven't heard anything from the league. Do you expect if he's going to be activated this week at all that the suspension is going to get lifted, will that happen in the next day or two?

"I've heard a lot of the speculation and you've asked me the question several times and I've answered it as I know it. I don't know anything about any ‘early' speculation. Don't know what more I can say to add to that. Really nothing."

You talk about Marcus Martin being impressive. He's only 20, which is pretty young for the NFL. Are there any signs he's shown that he's younger than the average rookie?

"Younger than the average rookie?"

Well he's 20.

"Yeah, just his age, I would say is the only thing."

Has he shown you anything that makes him seem older than the average rookie in terms of what he's doing out there to impress you?

"Well, yeah, there's things that we've talked about. I think he's a very bright guy. He's very mature. He's champing at the bit to play and he's shown that through the anxiousness to get back on the field and study habits. So, it's been good. I'm excited for him to compete."

Will you activate or open Bowman or TE Garrett Celek's window this week too?

"Don't anticipate doing that this week."

For either one of those guys?

"Celek. Garrett Celek."

How about DT Kaleb Ramsey?

"Again, the ones we've activated, opened up this week is Glenn Dorsey today and we'll do Marcus Lattimore's, open his window on Wednesday and he'll participate on Wednesday."

What are you curious to see about Marcus over these next three weeks?

"I've been watching him off to the side and I'm excited to watch him out there playing football again. We saw some of it in the offseason, but I think he's further ahead from where he was two, three, four months ago and excited to see that progress on the field. I'm looking forward to it."

You guys don't have live tackling drills or anything like that during practice. How will you sort of assess that part of his game? It's a missing element of his game at this point, contact and how he handles that.

"Yeah, I think we can give a little extra contact when we have the pads on for Marcus. Pass protection, sled, hitting sleds and maybe thudding up a little bit extra outside of the normal practice drills."