:::[Official] San Francisco 49ers 2024 Season Thread [NFC CHAMPIONS]:::

[cato312]

49ers camp progress report

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

August 2nd, 2014 at 12:07 pm 


This is my Saturday column.

SANTA CLARA – Eight training camp practices down, three to go before the 49ers play preseason game No. 1 and you see this for yourself. Until then, here are my top five takeaways from camp.

1. Colin Kaepernick is improving. It’s his fourth season in this offense and he has it down cold – that’s the first thing you notice. He shouts a million things between plays during the two-minute drill, just takes over, and he seems to know where his receivers will be before they get there. He anticipates openings and throws passes before receivers make their breaks. That’s new. He used to stare down one receiver and then scramble if the receiver wasn’t open. Not so much anymore. You can see Kaepernick cycle through his options, look at one receiver and then another and then another. One, two, three. Boom, boom, boom. That’s new. He completes passes to his second or third read three or four times as often as he scrambles. That’s new. By my count, Kaepernick is completing 68 percent of his passes in team drills. He completed 58 percent of his passes last season.

2. The coaches finally are getting the running backs involved in the passing game. Last Saturday I asked Greg Roman if that was a priority this season. He said, “I for one love throwing to the backs because a lot of the times people forget about them.” I almost choked. You’re the one who forgets about them, Greg. Last season, 49ers running backs were targeted on 17.9 percent of the 49ers’ pass plays, one of the lowest percentages in the league. Part of the reason Kaepernick completed just 58 percent of his passes is he rarely had a check-down option to throw to – Roman hardly ever put one in the pass pattern. Roman made the running backs block most of the time on pass plays. Kaepernick would play-fake, look deep, see no one open and then run for his life because there was no running back in the flat. That’s changing. There’s a running back in the flat on almost every pass play in camp.

3. Stevie Johnson is blowing it. When the 49ers traded a fourth round pick to the Bills for Johnson during the offseason, it seemed he was a lock to be the 49ers’ No. 3 receiver. Only a dreadful training camp performance could jeopardize that. Guess what. He’s been dreadful so far. Quarterbacks have thrown Johnson’s way 28 times in team drills. Johnson has caught 13 passes and dropped four. Dreadful. If he doesn’t start playing better, he will lose the No. 3 receiver job to second-year receiver Quinton Patton, who’s been lights-out in camp. He’s been targeted 35 times and has made 28 catches, including three touchdown catches. And when Michael Crabtree pulled his hamstring this week, Patton replaced him in the starting lineup, not Johnson.

4. Jimmie Ward is not the 49ers’ best young cornerback. Not yet, anyway. The 49ers drafted Ward in the first round a few months ago with the hope that he can be the starting nickel back. He played very well the first few days of camp before the players put on the pads and practices became physical. Then Ward got pushed around a bit. Ward frequently faced Anquan Boldin in the slot last week and Boldin wore him out, caught everything thrown his way when Ward was on him. Darryl Morris, an undrafted free agent last season, is the one nickel back who gives Boldin problems. Morris batted away two passes intended for Boldin this week. Boldin became so frustrated, he punched Morris in the facemask during Friday’s practice, and Jim Harbaugh kicked Boldin off the field. Morris isn’t the only young cornerback who has outplayed Ward. Dontae Johnson has, too. The 49ers drafted him in the fourth round this year. He’s huge, just an inch shorter than Richard Sherman. Quarterbacks have tested Johnson’s coverage 16 times during team drills. He has broken up five passes and intercepted one.

5. Key players keep getting injured. Every day it seems someone goes down. Twenty-one players currently are rehabbing injuries instead of practicing: Michael Crabtree, Brandon Lloyd, Jon Baldwin, Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James, Marcus Lattimore, Trey Millard, Anthony Davis, Marcus Martin, Brandon Thomas, Garrett Celek, Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Glenn Dorsey, Ian Williams, Kaleb Ramsey, NaVorro Bowman, Nick Moody, Aaron Lynch, Keith Reaser and Tramaine Brock. Who’s next?

Grant Cohn writes sports columns and the “Inside the 49ers” blog for The Press Democrat’s website. You can reach him at [email protected].

 

[Los Angeles]

Interesting

 

[red80]

Kap gonna take over the league


D-mo shining
QP shining

I had heard about the kid dontae Johnson impressing too. We got some young talent in the secondary.

Rest of u ****** need to get ur **** together

 

[aec23]

damn, i was really hoping Stevie could be the best, if not one of the best, #3 receiver in the league.

most important is hearing about Kap's growth.

 

[MON5T3R]

Stevie Johnson better step it up.

Feels good knowing Kap will go into the season actually having chemistry with the receivers this year.

 

[Los Angeles]

Not worried bout stevie j cus when that game really counts he'll b on it

 

[townbidness]

Haha you know D-Mo doing good if boldin getting mad

 

[red80]

 
#49ersCamp  ‏@49ers   49s

#49ers claimed WR L'Damian Washington off waivers from Dallas and waived WR Jon Baldwin.

peace out jon baldwin

 

[aec23]

it was only a matter of time

 

[Los Angeles]

Someone get ready and make them #LynchMobb tees asap

 

[red80]

reading that lynch put on 20lbs since draft day 

 

 Earlier, the outside linebackers took turns rushing the passer against the tight ends. Fifth-round draft pick Aaron Lynch, who had been dealing with a hamstring injury, took part in the drill and showed his strength by burying tight end Vance McDonald. Lynch won the rematch as well.

http://www.sacbee.com/2014/08/03/6602158/training-camp-day-9-defense-serves.html

vance stays losing in training camp 

 

[Los Angeles]

Vance forever sucks

 

[ii flash ii]

I lost interest in Vance... Dude dropping passes left and right

 

[49ersaaron8]

Vance is a scrub evidently.

 

[hybridsoldier23]

We need to cut Vance and invest in a reliable TE.

Delanie is sorely missed.

 

[tsamshox]

D-Walker my hitta . One of my favorite Niners. Damn I miss that 2012 team

 

[dland24]

I think people on here are vastly overrating Delanie Walker.....and that has to do with the fact that his replacement has not been an NFL caliber player.  How soon people forget that this fool had 21 catches and NINE drops in 2012.....a few of which (especially the game in St. Louis), cost us a win. 

Look, I would take Delanie over Vance in a heartbeat too.  But that's like saying I would rather have a cold instead of having bronchitis. 

 

[red80]

the next Delanie Walker is already on our roster and his name is Trey Millard. Unfortunately we wont see him this year.

Anyways there shouldn't be a second tight end on the field when your 3rd, 4th and 5th receivers are Stevie Johnson, Bruce Ellington, Quinton Patton! Wake the **** up G-Ro! I'm sick of 22 personnel. Spread those ************* out and open up the pass AND the run.

Same goes for Bruce Miller being on the field for passing downs. It's 2014. 

 

 

[cato312]

I think people on here are vastly overrating Delanie Walker.....and that has to do with the fact that his replacement has not been an NFL caliber player.  How soon people forget that this fool had 21 catches and NINE drops in 2012.....a few of which (especially the game in St. Louis), cost us a win. 

Look, I would take Delanie over Vance in a heartbeat too.  But that's like saying I would rather have a cold instead of having bronchitis. 

I agree that his on-field production doesn't warrant overt praise, but I think he was more impactful in that defenses had to respect him as a legitimate vertical threat. Between him, Vernon, and Moss that opened up the middle of the field quite a bit.

 

[red80]

#LYNCHMOBB 

 

aldon and lynch on passing down together 

 

[bentrill]

If corey lemoir  develops more 

 

[nothingtol0se]

thursday needs to hurry up

 

[champcruthik]

If corey lemoir  develops more :x

Lemonier was raw coming outta Auburn. Should hit his stride after this season, at the age of 23 or 24. State of Florida makes athletes, man.

 

[red80]

Lemonier is nice, but Aaron Lynch's upside >>> Lemonier

take his career serious, listen to tomsula and dude will be a nightmare for opposing teams. Aaron Lynch was literally unstoppable at times at ND. 

 

[champcruthik]

Lemonier is nice, but Aaron Lynch's upside >>> Lemonier

take his career serious, listen to tomsula and dude will be a nightmare for opposing teams. Aaron Lynch was literally unstoppable at times at ND. :x

Multiple violations off the field is what worries me about Lynch. He can definitely play. Maturity is the issue.