The hard work begins

This is no country club. That was apparent today at 49ers minicamp.

Coach Mike Singletary sent his team through about 45 minutes of hard conditioning after the 49ers’ individual session of practice.

 

The players rotated through different stations in which they performed conditioning drills, including a relay race in which they had to sprint 10 yards with a weight bag, drop it, pick up another weight bag off the ground and then sprint 10 yards back.

 

Only after this grueling session did the real practice begin. Hey, whip these guys into shape. After all, the season begins in about six months.

 

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After three plays of team work, Singletary stopped practice to forcefully remind his players what offensive coordinator Jimmy Raye has implemented as a fundamental in the huddle. He wants all the players in the team’s offensive huddle to have their hands on their knees as the play is being called.

 

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When the club broke into team drills, we saw Alex Smith throw passes on the practice field for the first time since early September. Smith threw the ball OK. His best pass was a 20-yard crossing route to Jason Hill, in which he hit his target in stride.

 

Shaun Hill came out with the first team. He appeared to have some miscommunication with Josh Morgan on a pass that Manny Lawson intercepted in the flat. Lawson had clear sailing down the left sideline for what would’ve been a TD (if anybody was keeping score)

 

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Following practice, Vernon Davis, Moran Norris, Zak Keasey and Mark Bradford remained after practice to work on catching passes from the Jugs machine.

 

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Not everybody was on the field today for the 49ers’ practice, so keep that in mind. Here is how the team’s depth chart appeared when they went through individual work.

 

Day 1-Minicamp depth chart

Offense

QB-Shaun Hill, Alex Smith, Damon Huard

RB-Frank Gore, Thomas Clayton, Michael Robinson

FB-Moran Norris, Zak Keasey

X-Josh Morgan, Dominique Zeigler, Maurice Price

Z-Jason Hill, Brandon Jones, Micheal Spurlock

TE-Vernon Davis, J.J. Finley

LT-Joe Staley, Jacob Bender

LG-David Baas, Joe Toledo

C-Eric Heitmann, Cody Wallace

RG-Chilo Rachal, Tony Wragge

RT-Adam Snyder, Barry Sims

 

Notes: WR Isaac Bruce and RT Jonas Jennings are not in attendance. Bruce is contemplating retirement, and Jennings has been told he does not fit into the team’s plans. WR Arnaz Battle and TE Delanie Walker were held out of practice.

 

Defense

LDE-Isaac Sopoaga, Kentwan Balmer

NT-Aubrayo Franklin, Isaac Sopoaga

RDE-Justin Smith, Demetric Evans

SOLB-Manny Lawson, Jay Moore

SILB-Jeff Ulbrich, Mark Washington

WILB-Patrick Willis, Justin Roland

WOLB-Parys Haralson, Ahmad Brooks

LCB-Nate Clements, Marcus Hudson

RCB-Allen Rossum

SS-Reggie Smith, Jimmy Williams

FS-Dashon Goldson, Lewis Baker

 

Notes: LB Takeo Spikes and CB Walt Harris, the team’s union reps, were at the NFL Players Association meeting. S Mark Roman has been granted permission to seek a trade, so he was not in attendance. DE Ray McDonald, and DBs Michael Lewis, Shawntae Spencer and Tarell Brown were held out of practice. With so many corners out of action, return specialist Rossum played RCB.

 

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