Harbaugh on final cuts: “A very exciting, good day.”

Here is a transcript of Jim Harbaugh’s post-cuts conference call, courtesy of the 49ers.   How was the process today or over the last couple of days, of getting down to this 53-man? How difficult was that? “Well, there’s a lot of worthy players. And the thing that’s profound to me was that so many guys improved, so many guys were ascending players, right up to the point of making…

August 31, 2013
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49ers 41, Chargers 6: Grades

Here are my grades for the 49ers in their 41-6 preseason win over the San Diego Chargers. QUARTERBACKS: B+. Colin Kaepernick completed three short passes and then left the game. Colt McCoy was decent, completing 8-of-15 passes for 56 yards and a touchdown.  His longest completion was a 12-yarder. B.J. Daniels played well, better than McCoy. Daniels completed 5-of-9 passes for 76 yards and a touchdown, and he ran 6…

August 29, 2013
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Harbaugh says he “believes” Patrick Willis will start Week 1 against the Packers

SANTA CLARA — Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Tuesday afternoon. Here’s what he said, courtesy of the 49ers.   Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio was telling me that you guys decided on S Eric Reid as the starting safety. What has he shown you to earn that role heading into the regular season? “Just everything we talked about, he’s been good. He’s shown that he’s picked up the system…

August 27, 2013
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Harbaugh says McCoy is Kaepernick’s backup

SAN FRANCISCO – Here’s what Jim Harbaugh said at the podium after Sunday night’s preseason game, courtesy of the 49ers.   Was that about everything you wanted to see for the third exhibition game? “Yeah. Saw a lot of good football and pleased with the way our guys worked, practiced all week and then came out and played in the game. I thought there was a lot of good football…

August 26, 2013
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49ers 34, Vikings 14: Grades

SAN FRANCISCO – Here are my grades for the 49ers in their 34-14 preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings. QUARTERBACKS: B. Colin Kaepernick played 17 snaps and played well, although he failed in his first appearance in the red zone, getting his pass tipped away on third-and-11 from the 12 yard line. But Kaepernick succeeded in his second red zone appearance. On third-and-goal from the five, Kaepernick rolled right, spotted…

August 25, 2013
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Harbaugh on A.J. Jenkins: “I don’t think it’s fair to bully or label a young player.”

SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Wednesday afternoon. Here’s what he said. Q: Jon Baldwin practiced yesterday. What was your initial reaction to him and how he’s fitting in? HARBAUGH: Just one day, but good so far. Q: Can you tell what skills he has and how he could potentially fit into your offense? HARBAUGH: I think most people can. He’s somebody with great athletic ability….

August 21, 2013
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Harbaugh on Kaepernick’s lack of playing time: “I didn’t want anything freakish to happen.”

SANTA CLARA – Jim Harbaugh spoke in the media tent Sunday morning. Here’s what he said. Q: What is the complexion of practices these final two weeks of the exhibition season? Will you still do some ones against ones, or will it be mostly scout team work? HARBAUGH: It will not change very much. It will still be one versus one, two versus two, one versus two, two versus one,…

August 18, 2013
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49ers can’t catch a break when it comes to drafting wide receivers

This is my Saturday column on the 49ers’ recent history drafting wide receivers. By now, you’ve seen what I’ve seen from A.J. Jenkins the past two training camps: A wide receiver utterly overmatched by starting NFL cornerbacks. Friday night against the Chiefs, he faced their starting right cornerback Sean Smith and could not shake him. When Smith decided to press Jenkins, Smith swallowed him up. Jenkins couldn’t get past the…

August 17, 2013
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49ers 15, Chiefs 13: Grades

My grades for the 49ers’ 15-13 preseason victory over the Chiefs: QUARTERBACKS: D. Colin Kaepernick completed one of two passes for negative three yards. He overthrew the one pass he attempted downfield. Colt McCoy and Scott Tolzien were horrible. McCoy threw an interception and Tolzien averaged just 3.8 yards per pass attempt. If those two keep playing like that, the 49ers won’t be able to trade either one for a…

August 16, 2013
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Greg Roman on Austin Collie: “There’s a good plan in place to incrementally advance him.”

SANTA CLARA – Greg Roman spoke in the media tent Monday morning. Here’s what he said, courtesy of the 49ers.   Opening comments: “Good morning. First game week of the season. Very exciting, it’s a chance to get with our young players and start to prepare for a game. As we all well know, there are 16 regular season games and every week is really a season onto itself. The…

August 5, 2013
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Training camp report: Justin Smith and Tarell Brown sidelined, Mike Iupati dodges bullet

SANTA CLARA – Here’s what stood out to me at Friday evening’s padded practice. THE GOOD 1. Vernon Davis – Today was his best practice of the offseason. He was a dominant pass catcher at tight end, in the slot, at split end and at flanker. As an outside receiver, he beat cornerbacks on single and double moves with efficient footwork three or four times. He also blew past Perrish…

August 2, 2013
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