Day 7, practice 13: First non-padded practice
After 6 ½ days of practices, 49ers coach Mike Singletary finally gave his team a break. Oh, they practiced this afternoon. It’s just that they did it without full pads.
One of the new elements of the team’s afternoon practice was the addition of a 3-second clock. During passing drills, the clock began counting down from :03 at each snap. If the quarterback had not yet gotten rid of the ball in the allotted time, an electric collar fastened to his neck shocked him into submission.
Sorry, I’m getting a little punchy. That’s what I’ve come to expect from a Mike Singletary training camp. Alas, there was no electroconvulsive therapy. But there was an annoying buzzer that sounded when the 3-second clock reached zero. The thinking was that the QB should have already gotten the ball out of his hands.
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With Michael Crabtree yet to join the team and Brandon Jones out for two months with a broken shoulder, the 49ers signed free-agent wide receiver Chris Francies, who has two career receptions in eight career games with the Packers in 2006 and ’07.
The 49ers released defensive tackle Babatunde Oshinowo to make room for Francies on the roster.
A note on Jones: Because he did not report to training camp with an injury, he is not eligible to be placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list to start the regular season. The 49ers must carry Jones on their 53-man roster to open the season if they plan on him playing in 2009 (which they do).
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Neither quarterback is separating himself in the QB competition. Hill was much better in the morning session, and Smith won the afternoon. Smith completed 12 of 15 passes in the recently completed practice. Hill was 7 of 11 with an interception by Parys Haralson off a tipped pass at the line of scrimmage.
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Some folks have asked about receiver Jason Hill. He has been sort of lost in the shuffle through the first week. He has an opportunity now with Brandon Jones out of action to step up and win the job as the No. 3 receiver. Right now, Arnaz Battle has been better through the first week.
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The 49ers concluded practice with a two-minute drill. Hill completed each of his three attempts, but Vernon Davis turned it over when Jeff Ulbrich punched out the ball from behind after a completed pass. Reggie Smith recovered it.
Smith made a very nice 25-yard throw to Dominique Zeigler on a dig route. The 49ers ended up settling for a short Alex Romero field goal.
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