Notes and observations from an eventful morning practice in Santa Clara…
• I’ve seen veterans get practices off during training camp. It happens just about everywhere, and it makes sense. But it surprised me to see three 49ers – ILB Takeo Spikes, S Michael Lewis and OLB Travis LaBoy – get breathers in consecutive practices, Monday p.m. and Tuesday a.m. A team official assured the media it was just “veteran courtesy,” but with this level of courtesy we may soon need to get our daily updates from Miss Manners.
• Joining Spikes, Lewis and LaBoy in jerseys and shorts were LG David Baas, who has a mild concussion, and LT Joe Staley, who didn’t feel well. Barry Sims filled in at LT, Mike Iupati at LG, Scott McKillop at ILB and Reggie Smith at SS.
• OK, here’s your daily nutcracker update. The most colorful moment came when TE Vernon Davis stalled OLB Ahmad Brooks, raised his fist and yelled “Come and get some!” to the rest of the defenders. Davis wound up jawing at no one/everyone for several more minutes. But the best battle featured T Anthony Davis and DE Khalif Mitchell. Davis drove Mitchell out of the play on one snap, earning a chest bump from Davis. The next time they faced off, though, Mitchell threw the rookie around and drew thanks from D-line coach Jim Tomsula.
• Today’s version of the ‘cracker featured 2-on-2 and 3-on-3 combinations, making it a little more difficult to follow intently. The only 1-on-1 matchups were between fullbacks and linebackers. Very solid work by FBs Moran Norris, Brit Miller and Jehuu Caulcrick in those.
• T Alex Boone struggled in the nutcracker. He wound up on the ground against both Kentwan Balmer and Justin Smith, and OLB Parys Haralson slipped past him on a combo.
• Minor pushing after the whistle by NT Ricky Jean Francois and G Chris Patrick.
• The offense hit some jackpots in the first 1-on-1 passing drill, with Josh Morgan (twice), Jason Hill and Michael Crabtree all catching deep balls. Hill dropped one on a slant, and CBs Phillip Adams and Shawntae Spencer displayed some nice coverage.
• Pretty good morning for Spencer, who jumped a route and picked off David Carr’s throw to Dominique Zeigler in 7-on-7.
• Encouraging development: Ted Ginn, Kyle Williams, LeRoy Vann and Brandon Jones went through an entire punt-return drill without muffing one.
• Ginn got wide open behind S Taylor Mays in a late team period and hauled in a scoring pass from Alex Smith, though Ahmad Brooks may have sacked the QB before he unloaded. Five plays later, Ginn was at it again, burning Will James deep.
• James and Tarell Brown both got some work at LCB with the first-team defense, though Nate Clements appeared healthy and took most of the reps.
• Interesting day for S Curtis Taylor. The second-year player made an interception on an Alex Smith pass intended for Michael Crabtree in team period. He also got buried a couple times in 9-on-9, once by TE Joe Jon Finley, and got an earful from defensive coordinator Greg Manusky after Josh Morgan broke wide open in 7-on-7.
• Back-to-back plays that won’t show up on Anthony Davis’ rookie highlight film: DE Ray McDonald got past him with an inside pass rush, and OLB Diyral Briggs beat him around the edge on another pass.
• Nice plays by Ahmad Brooks and ILB NaVorro Bowman (filling the gap to meet Glen Coffee on separate running plays in 9-on-9), CB Patrick Stoudamire (broke up Smith’s throw to Zeigler), S Dashon Goldson (diving breakup of Smith’s pass to Morgan, who wanted pass interference) and ILB Patrick Willis (blew up pitchout to Frank Gore).
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