Some time after the morning locker room session had come and gone, I realized that I needed to talk to Vernon Davis for the story I'm working on. I figured my chances were slim considering the afternoon session was a special teams practice and that the big-time players, like Davis, don't partake in special teams. They either would be in meetings, hanging out in the players' lounge or otherwise making themselves scarce.
But I lucked out. Davis was on an adjacent practice field, getting extra work with tight ends coach Pete Hoener and quarterback Kyle Wright. And that's not uncommon. Davis often stays after practice to work on route running or his hands. (When he was hanging out in South Florida in July, he pulled aside Ravens rookie Joe Flacco to work on his pass catching). Davis is a guy who, more than anything else, wants to be great. As was the case last season, he said he's shooting for 1,000 receiving yards this season. Does he have a better chance this year than last? "Yeah, " he said with a smile. "Oh yeah."
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Receiver Ashley Lelie also was running routes during the special teams practice. He appears close to returning from his calf strain.
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The 49ers only will have one practice -- at 3 p.m. -- tomorrow in anticipation of their Monday session with the Raiders in Napa.
-- Matt Barrows








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