Jim Tomsula says Bruce Ellington, Michael Wilhoite and Glenn Dorsey will return to practice this week, plus more

SANTA CLARA – Here’s a transcript of head coach Jim Tomsula’s Monday conference call. Q: Last week you intimated you’d be shuffling around the offensive. Is the first unit the unit you’ve settled on? TOMSULA: No, it is not the unit we’ve settled. We are not settled there. We’re getting closer. I like what (Joe) Looney did, and I like where we’re going with RG Marcus (Martin). He’s really doing…

August 24, 2015
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49ers picking up the pace on offense

This is my Saturday column. SANTA CLARA The 49ers have a brand new offense. The old one was the slowest in the NFL, and not just during plays when they lumbered around the grass. They were slow between plays, too. They couldn’t even get plays off. The Niners led the league in delay-of-game penalties each of the past two seasons under head coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman….

June 12, 2015
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49ers and Adam Gase — good match or bad idea?

This is about gravitas and Adam Gase. Gase is the favorite to be the next head coach of the 49ers. Gase is the only coach the 49ers have interviewed twice so far this offseason — they interviewed him for a second time Tuesday, according to reports. Gase is 36 years old. He looks like a teenager. He has been an offensive coordinator for two whole seasons and has done impressive…

January 13, 2015
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49ers, here’s your man

This is my Wednesday column. I don’t get you, Jed. You say you know what you’re looking for and you still can’t find it. I asked you Monday what qualities the next head coach of the 49ers should have. You were prepared for that question. Right away, you said, “I want a teacher. I think what made Bill Walsh so successful is that he was a great teacher, whether that…

December 30, 2014
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49ers 17, Broncos 42: Grades

The Broncos eked out a 42-17 win over the 49ers Sunday night. Here are the Niners’ grades. KAEPERNICK: D. Carried the team in the first half. Posted a 140 passer rating in the second quarter. Would have been a 156 rating if Anquan Boldin hadn’t dropped a touchdown pass on third-and-goal from the 4 yard line. Kaepernick led a 7-play, 85-yard touchdown drive that took 2 minutes and 58 seconds…

October 19, 2014
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Manning wants quick results

Here is my Saturday column previewing the 49ers’ Sunday night game against the Broncos. Peyton Manning has a philosophy: Skip third down. On second down, get another first down. Manning opposes third down on principle. To beat him, a team must understand this. Some offenses play for third downs, strive to get to third-and-2 or third-and-3. They call that “third and manageable.” To get there, they play it safe and…

October 18, 2014
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Manning out-thinks everybody

Here is my Friday column. SANTA CLARA Peyton Manning has a tragic flaw. Out of respect for greatness, let’s not deal with that now, not until we discuss what makes him great. Jim Harbaugh, you’re first. How is Manning different from other great quarterbacks? What is his best quality? “All qualities,” Harbaugh said with a smile Wednesday afternoon in the 49ers’ auditorium. “Great competitor, great player. He’s done it and…

October 17, 2014
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Colin Kaepernick’s pre-game warmup vs. Peyton Manning’s pre-game warmup

SANTA CLARA — Colin Kaepernick and Peyton Manning warmed up differently before Sunday’s exhibition game. Kaepernick started by dropping back and throwing passes to Jim Harbaugh who was standing straight in front of him. Then Kaepernick took snaps from a ball boy and threw passes to the right and then to the left.  A static warmup. Manning started his warmup by throwing straight, like Kaepernick. Then Manning did a pocket movement…

August 17, 2014
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Regular season award predictions

It’s late June, and that means it’s prediction time. Today we’re predicting who will win the big regular season awards this year. I’ll go first. MVP and Offensive Player of the Year: Peyton Manning. Yes, Manning lost Eric Decker. But the Broncos replaced him with Emmanuel Sanders and Cody Latimer. That’s an upgrade. And Manning gets back Ryan Clady, the All-Pro left tackle who missed all but two games last season. Defensive Player…

June 28, 2014
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Gannon on Kaepernick: “I’d like to see him speed it up a little bit.”

Rich Gannon answered questions about Colin Kaepernick Tuesday afternoon on 957 The Game. Here is a transcript. Q: If there is one thing you’d like to see Kaepernick improve on between now and the end of the season, what is it? GANNON: “I just think playing a little faster. You watch him go through his progressions….he’s a young quarterback, but if you watch the Bradys and the Mannings and the…

December 10, 2013
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Wilson’s progress at QB puts him way ahead of Kaepernick

Here is my Wednesday column explaining why Russell Wilson is better than Colin Kaepernick. SANTA CLARA – You have to admit, Russell Wilson looked like a miniature combination of Joe Montana and Steve Young Monday night against the Saints – Montana’s cool demeanor and precision from the pocket, Young’s explosive ability to make plays on the run. Wilson has been that Montana-Young combo most of this season, his second in…

December 4, 2013
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Choice between two richly talented quarterbacks more a matter of taste than stats

Here is my Tuesday column comparing and contrasting Colin Kaepernick and Andrew Luck. Who is a better quarterback right now, Colin Kaepernick or Andrew Luck? Simple question. I could give you a simple answer. I have a gut feeling it’s Luck and I could validate it but that is not the responsible answer. Reality is not simple. Let’s not deal in simplicity. Let’s deal in reality, which is complicated and…

October 22, 2013
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Deep trouble for 49ers’ passing game starts with play-calling

Here is my Tuesday column on Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers’ 31st-ranked passing game. SANTA CLARA – You could argue Colin Kaepernick has been one of the worst starting quarterbacks in the NFL this season. He definitely has been the worst starting quarterback in the Bay Area. The Raiders’ Terrelle Pryor has outperformed Kaepernick in nearly every statistical category. Kaepernick was great Week 1 against the Packers but since then Kaepernick…

October 8, 2013
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Kaepernick on Jenkins: “He has looked good. We expect more, though. We need him to step up.”

SANTA CLARA — Colin Kaepernick spoke in the 49ers’ media tent Tuesday afternoon. Here’s what he said, courtesy of the 49ers.   Since WR A.J. Jenkins came back from his hamstring injury he’s been quite active, he looked pretty good these last two practices. Has that been your impression of what you’ve seen from him? “Yeah he has looked good. We expect more though. We need him to step up.”…

August 6, 2013
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Whitner explains what it takes for a first-round pick to succeed

SANTA CLARA – Donte Whitner spoke in the media tent Monday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Does it put a strain on you when you’re working with a new free safety? WHITNER: It’s not really a strain, but I have to do most of the vocal stuff back there. When Dashon was here, he had his side of the football field and I had my side of the football…

August 5, 2013
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Coach or QB? You make the call

Here is my Thursday column on play calling in the NFL. It won’t happen, but I wish it would: NFL coaches should throw away the headsets and let quarterbacks call their own plays. Football has become more like a chess match or a military campaign than a sport. Coaches orchestrate the entire game from the sideline or the coaches’ booth like generals at the U.S. Central Command, or like teenagers…

July 18, 2013
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Pre-training-camp playoff and Super Bowl predictions

We have nine more days to kill before training camp starts, so let’s predict which 12 teams will make the playoffs and which team will win the Super Bowl. I’m not looking to start a fight, just a discussion. I reserve the right to change my predictions as many times as I want before the season starts. NFC West: Seattle Seahawks. They won 11 games last season, and with the…

July 15, 2013
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Which NFL quarterbacks will have passer ratings better than 95 this season?

Last season, 10 quarterbacks finished the regular season with passer ratings better than 95.0. Those quarterbacks were: 1. Aaron Rodgers: 108.0 2. Peyton Manning: 105.8 3. Alex Smith: 104.1 4. Robert Griffin III: 102.4 5. Russell Wilson: 100.0 6. Matt Ryan: 99.1 7. Tom Brady: 98.7 8. Colin Kaepernick: 98.3 9. Ben Roethlisberger: 97.0 10. Drew Brees: 96.3 Which quarterbacks do you think will have passer ratings better than 95.0…

June 30, 2013
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Odds are against 49ers winning Super Bowl. Should they worry?

On Thursday, Steve Young said the 49ers may have missed their best opportunity to win a Super Bowl with Colin Kaepernick. Young believes NFL defenses will adjust to the Pistol formation and the read-option plays which Kaepernick executes so well. Is there anything to Young’s comments? NFL defenses may or may not adjust to the Pistol – we’ll find out next season – but history seems to support Young in…

February 9, 2013
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Steve Young on Flacco: “Joe is Eli Manning. It’s a compliment, but it’s a back-handed compliment.”

Steve Young spoke on KNBR Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said about Joe Flacco. Q: What do you think of Joe Flacco? YOUNG: Joe is Eli Manning to me. It’s a compliment, but it’s a back-handed compliment. There is no question that Joe can get hot like last week and the week before. Eli would get hot in the worst scenarios – 10 below at Lambeau – and it’s like,…

January 31, 2013
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