Lelie misses valuable practice time

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The 49ers have a lot of competition at the wide receiver spots. If rookie Josh Morgan makes the team, the 49ers could carry as many as six receivers. But the onus is on one of those veteran receivers to step up and prove himself after being a non-factor a year ago.

Things have not gotten off to a good start for Ashley Lelie, who sat out most of practice this morning with a left calf injury. Lelie caught just 10 passes last season. He has to have a good training camp or he might not figure into the team's plans.

Lelie fell out of favor quickly last season when he missed most of the offseason program with a quad pull.

It's a crowded group of receivers with Isaac Bruce, Bryant Johnson, Arnaz Battle, Jason Hill and Morgan. Moreover, Dominique Zeigler and Robert Jordan have looked good in the first couple days of camp, too.

* * *

Tackle Joe Staley spent the night in a hospital to get treated for his infected foot. Coach Mike Nolan still seems to think the infection is the result of a bug bite. "It's not a brown recluse spider, I'm pretty sure," Nolan said. Staley is listed as day-to-day.

As for the hospital stay, Nolan said they were hoping Staley would get a good night of sleep while being placed on an IV for the infection. "(But) the bed wasn't as good as we'd hoped," he said.

* * *

Nolan refers to the 49ers defense as a hybrid 3-4 defense. He said the 49ers' base defense will be "whatever the players allow us to do." He said some opponents will view the 49ers as a 3-4 team, while others will see them as a 4-3.

* * *

Nolan said he is uncertain how much certain veterans will play during the exhibition season. Last year when Frank Gore missed the preseason with a broken hand, Nolan intimated that Gore might not play another exhibition game as long as he is head coach.

If anyone does not play in the exhibition season, it would likely be Isaac Bruce. After that, Gore is the player most likely to get a rest, Nolan said.

* * *

During 11-on-11, Hill completed quick passes on hot reads to Josh Morgan, Delanie Walker (twice). Hill seems to be a lot more comfortable getting the ball out quickly on these hot reads than Smith.

* * *

Dominique Zeigler, who made a highlight-reel catch on a weekly basis on the practice squad last season, has gotten off to a strong start. The 6-3, 185-pounder can really extend himself to make grabs.

* * *

Tackle Damane Duckett went down with a left knee injury during one-on-one pass-rush drills against Tully Banta-Cain. Duckett's cleats caught in the turf. He remained down for several minutes before getting to his feet. It appears as if he averted a serious injury, but it's unknown when he might be able to return.

After the injury, Barry Sims switched over to the left side with the first team.

* * *

Running back DeShaun Foster banged his knee on a play. When he later caught a pass from Alex Smith, he turned up field gingerly.

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The top two draft picks, Kentwan Balmer and Chilo Rachal were matched against each other in pass-rush drills. On one, Balmer blew past Rachal, lined up at guard, for a swing-and-a-miss.

* * *

On one play, Alex Smith started out at tight end and then shift over center. Vernon Davis shifted from the right side to the left. Apparently, he was supposed to be off the line of scrimmage. There was confusion all around, so the play was aborted before the snap.

* * *

There were a lot of other penalties - false starts and offsides - that slowed down the morning practice.

* * *

From this morning, Alex Smith worked with the first team. Shaun Hill worked with the second team. Smith completed 9 of 15 passes during 11-on-11, while Hill completed 7 of 12.

In the 11-on-11 work in the first two days, Delanie Walker has eight receptions, followed by Vernon Davis (six), Bryant Johnson, Frank Gore and Jason Hill (five apiece), and Josh Morgan, Michael Robinson and Zeigler (four apiece).

* * *

There is no full afternoon practice - just special teams.

* * *

And, finally, here's an update from Jed York, whom I asked about a possible uniform change: He said it's too late now to do anything for 2009. So 2010 is the earliest that the 49ers will be able to incorporate a "throwback" look. However, he said that there is talk of whether to wait and make any uniform change to coincide with the opening of a new stadium.

* * *

UPDATE (4:09 p.m.): Special-teams practice just concluded. Practice concluded with players practicing blocking punts. Camp leg Ricky Schmitt and a staff were used to kick volleyballs. Players practiced blocking the ball out in front of the foot so that contact was not made with the punter.

There were no injury updates. Jeb Terry had cramps in the morning, but he was seen working on a side field on his pass-protections sets.

Now, I'm off to see Lincecum vs. Webb.

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Posted July 26, 2008 9:25:34 AM

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Comments | Add Comment

Posted By: SDNiner (30/07/2008 8:50:39 AM)
Comment: Matt, thanks for the info on the possible uniform change. Now that I know the uniform won't change for at least 2 seasons, I can buy a P.Willis jersey. The potential uniform change/need for a Willis jersey was really weighing heavy on my mind with the '08 season just around the corner. Please keep us updated on the potential uniform change. You're the best!

Posted By: Cal (27/07/2008 8:31:16 AM)
Comment: Is there a curse at left tackle? Jennings couldn't stay healthy there, Staley gets the spider bite, and now Duckett?

Posted By: http:// (27/07/2008 5:39:50 AM)
Comment: Any word on how severe Lelie's calf injury is & when to expect him back to practice? Still pulling for this guy big-time to make it back legitimately for us/NFL. C'mon Lelie!!

Posted By: Jon in Socal (26/07/2008 6:00:15 PM)
Comment: Alex was lined up at tight end...are you kidding me! Sounds like Staley is actually a bit serious, talking IV antibiotics now. Any of you guys at TC... last year there was a big deal about when they got something wrong, it wasn't necessarily corrected and run again perfectly. Are we seeing the same thing?

Posted By: Will's Dad (26/07/2008 5:15:29 PM)
Comment: From what I observed on Saturday, Walker and Lelie certainly stood out. Matt, would you say that either Keasey or Norris gets cut and we keep an extra receiver?

Posted By: Teddy (26/07/2008 4:05:50 PM)
Comment: What do you think about not putting on the pads until 3 days into camp? I don't understand this. I was reading the last two days that practices are messy which is understandable because everyone out of sync. I am thinking practices are going to be messy Monday and Tuesday and the reason going to be the players are getting use to going full speed with pads. Why not just go full speed with pads in the beginning of camp and get all the mistakes out of the way instead of having 5 days of messy practices?

Response: Actually, it makes sense to me. Some players have told me that no matter how much work they've done in preparation of camp, nothing can get them close to "football shape." Practicing without pads for a few days gives the players an opportunity to get up to tempo and "get their legs under them" before putting pads on. I think it's a good move. It also cuts down on the risk of injury, and the wear and tear. --Matt M.

Posted By: Rich, San Ramon (26/07/2008 4:00:43 PM)
Comment: Matt, do they still do the drill where the FB practices blocking a blitzing LB at full contact? I watched that in Stockton and it was the most brutal thing I've ever seen a human being do; sit there a wait on a 240-lb guy with a 3 yard head of steam and BASH!...it really was like watching a train wreck...do they still do that?

Response: We'll see. They haven't put on pads, yet. --Matt M.

Posted By: Ed in Irvine (26/07/2008 3:23:20 PM)
Comment: Great Stuff Matt! Been hearing about catches from most receivers except for Bruce...has he caught any balls so far?

Response: None in the 11-on-11 work. He's not going to require a lot of work. Nolan said Bruce might see very limited action -- or none at all -- during the exhibition season. --Matt M.

Posted By: RonO (26/07/2008 3:06:35 PM)
Comment: Thanks Matt, I love this stuff.

Posted By: AF (26/07/2008 2:42:27 PM)
Comment: How about Colvin? How's the local boy doing?

Response: He's clearly behind. Yesterday, he had trouble lining up at the right spot. WR coach Jerry Sullivan was getting on him pretty good. (Remember, Colvins missed almost all of OTAs because he was finishing up at Oregon.) I will say this: He looks the part. He's worth watching. --Matt M.

Posted By: Coach Hudd (26/07/2008 2:40:02 PM)
Comment: I wouldn't mind seeing Lelie gone. I like Jordan and Morgan. Jordan has very good hands and runs very good routes and in Martz's offense that is key. lelie has never been a decent route runner.

Posted By: Obama the Muslim (26/07/2008 2:39:16 PM)
Comment: This is just kooky!! Matt writes to us like we are his friends and we are part of the great gig that he has. Reading Matt's stuff during the season and during the pre season is like reading a really really good...NFL novel ;-) it's just amazing. Matt just put's it into another gear during these times. My goodness I am very lucky to have found the site!! Amazing work. No question Matt, just some sunshine your way!! Thanks again!!

Posted By: Indiana Jim (26/07/2008 2:07:48 PM)
Comment: re: Smith, I wonder if it has to do with stiffness in the shoulder?

Posted By: Cleveland Mike (26/07/2008 1:55:50 PM)
Comment: Matt-Thanks for the great detail here. Great....as usual. Right out of the gates it appears that Hill and Morgan will give AL a run for his spot...... which is good. Although I remember last year when Taylor Jacobs seemed to be 'lighting things up'. Again...great Niner camp news. Hope you have had a chance to try the whipped Yogurt.....great stuff on a hot sunmmer's evening.

Posted By: 5TimesChamps (26/07/2008 12:56:57 PM)
Comment: Matt, can you elaborate on Smith's lack of comfort in executing the hot reads compared to Hill? Is he looking bad and like he's showing no improvement? I want to avoid overreacting, but that wasn't encouraging. I am hoping that Martz will help him be more instinctive and reactive instead of trying to overanalyze the routes and getting sacked in the process.

Response: It has a lot to do with their styles. Hill seems a lot more comfortable getting the ball out quickly. Smith is more mechanical. That's not necessarily a bad thing -- that's just the way it is. Let's put it this way, it just doesn't look as smooth with Smith as it does with Hill. --Matt M.

Posted By: Cyrus (26/07/2008 12:54:37 PM)
Comment: So 2018 then Jed? lol...

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