49ers Blog and Q&A

San Francisco linebacker Aldon Smith is recovering from what the team says are minor injuries suffered at a large house party Saturday morning that ended with three people being taken to the hospital. Said general manager Trent Baalke in a statement:

"We are in contact with Aldon, and thankful that his injuries were not more serious and that he is recovering comfortably. The 49ers are also in communication with local authorities as they gather information regarding the incident, and will reserve further comment at this time."

Meanwhile, the Santa Clara County sheriff's office reported that deputies arrived at a large house party shortly after 2 a.m. Saturday after receiving reports of gunshots.

When they arrived, they found two people with gunshot wounds and another suffering from stab wounds. All three were taken to hospitals where they were being treated for non-life threatening injuries. A source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment, said the stabbing victim was Smith; a sheriff's spokesman said he could not comment on the identity of the victims.

Sgt. Jose Cardoza said the party was so large -- more than 100 people -- that San Jose police and the California Highway Patrol were called for backup. He said there were no suspects at this time. "It was a chaotic scene," Cardoza said. "There was a lot of commotion, and no one knows where the gunshots came from."

In January, Smith was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Miami Beach. Police there said Smith's blood-alcohol level showed .194 and .176 after he was arrested at 4:33 a.m. According to the police report, other drivers had to brake abruptly to avoid hitting Smith's car, which was swerving in and out of traffic.

Smith, the seventh overall pick in the 2011 draft, played less than 50 percent of the 49ers' snaps last season, but he set a rookie team record with 14 sacks in the regular season. That was the most for an NFL rookie since Jevon Kearse set the mark for incoming players in 1999.

Smith was a third-down specialist last year but is expected to start at right outside linebacker opposite Ahmad Brooks this year. In May he told The Bee that his goal was to become "the ultimate pass rusher, the ultimate outside linebacker."

-- Matt Barrows

In what the 49ers called "a positive first step," a Sacramento Superior Court judge today ordered Santa Clara County to hold $30 million of disputed funds until a Tuesday hearing. The 49ers filed suit against the county Wednesday, and the request for a temporary restraining order was the first step.

The $30 million originally was earmarked toward the 49ers' $1.2 billion stadium in Santa Clara. In June 2010, voters approved the allocation of redevelopment funds for the project. After that point, however, the state scrapped redevelopment agencies and put counties in control of their funds. Last week, a county board that oversees property tax from redevelopment zones announced it would rather spend the $30 million elsewhere, such as on education.

The 49ers now will challenge that move in court. The team used the promise of the redevelopment funds to help secure the bank loans that make up the bulk of the stadium funding. The 49ers stressed that the dispute will not affect the construction time table. They plan to open the new stadium in 2014.

"The stadium is a public-private partnership success story," said CFO Larry MacNeil in a release. "The cash advanced by the 49ers, backed by the RDA commitment, leveraged hundreds of millions in new funding to create one of the largest construction projects in the state. After just a few months it has created several hundred jobs, provided a positive regional economic impact and funding for the Santa Clara School district. By this fall, there will be 1,000 workers on this job."

-- Matt Barrows

Do you hate it when a compelling football game that began at 10 a.m. (PST) gets cut off by the start of the afternoon game on the same network? The NFL does, too, which is why it has decided to delay the start of 40 or so games this season, most of them occurring in the Mountain and Pacific time zones.

Double header games on FOX and CBS that originally were scheduled to kick off at 1:15 p.m.(PST) have been pushed back 10 minutes to 1:25 p.m. The 49ers, who are one of the more popular teams for networks this season, have seven games that are affected, beginning with the opener in Green Bay.

• Week 1: at Packers
• Week 5: vs. Bills
• Week 6: vs. Giants
• Week 10: vs. Rams
• Week 12: at Saints
• Week 16: at Seahawks
• Week 17: vs. Cardinals

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers players know how to throw a block. Gary Owens is teaching them how to throw a punch.

Owens, a former professional boxer and Muay Thai fighter, has been working with the 49ers for the past five seasons. He was a prominent figure during the spring sessions, sparring with linemen like Justin Smith and Anthony Davis (below) after practices and after the players had lifted weights. Owens said he'll continue to work with a dozen or so players who live in the San Jose area in the month before the team's first training camp practice July 27.

Owens, a former International Kickboxing Federation welterweight champion, said most new students come to him with just two punches: the wildly inefficient haymaker swing with the right hand and the even wilder flail with the left. "It's one of those things where you close your eyes and you hope they connect," he said.

Owens said his sessions with the 49ers increase speed in the upper body and improve balance and hand-eye coordinator. They aren't too bad for stamina, either. An average NFL play may last about 10 seconds. Owens has his 49ers pupils punch from one to three minutes at a time. "When you see a 350-pound guy punching the right way - it's a beautiful thing," he said.

Owens got involved with the 49ers five years ago after he started training Mark Uyeyama, the team's strength and conditioning coach who back then had joined the team as an assistant.

Today his clientele include several notable mixed martial arts fighters, including Jon Fitch and Cung Le. But Owens said he's trying to branch off from training fighters. In addition to the 49ers, he works with a few athletes from other sports, such as Santa Clara native and outfielder in the Toronto Blue Jays organization, Eric Thames. (Owens said Thames has better torque on his back foot and an accelerated bat speed since working with him).

He also contracts with the U.S. military - he wouldn't say which branch - and is especially interested working with children. Owens said his star pupil, in fact, is the four-year-old son of one of the 49ers' defensive players. (see video evidence). Owens, who has a 14- and a 10-year-old of his own, said the goal is to teach kids the basics - how to run, jump and kick.

"I'm not so much focused on fighting," he said. "I'm just trying to create an overall healthy child."

-- Matt Barrows

Quarterbacks Alex Smith and Cam Newton, who feuded last month (kind of) are next to one another on a list of the top NFL quarterbacks compiled by ESPN's Ron Jaworski and NFL Films' Greg Cosell. Smith is ranked 16th; Newton is one spot better at No. 15.

Smith cited Newton last month in explaining why the 49ers' meager passing statistics in 2011 were unimportant in the grand scheme. "I could absolutely care less on yards per game," Smith said. "I think that is a totally overblown stat because if you're losing games in the second half -- guess what? -- you're like the Carolina Panthers and you're going no-huddle the entire second half. Yeah, Cam Newton threw for a lot of 300-yard games. That's great. You're not winning, though."

In lauding Smith on Monday, Jaworski on ESPN's SportsCenter noted his care of the ball. "Two statistics speak to Smith's play in 2011," Jaworski said. "He threw the fewest passes of any 16-game starter, and he had the lowest interception percentage in the National Football League. Smith was managed brilliantly by first-year head coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh perfectly understood his quarterback's strengths and limitations."

Jaworski also noted that the majority of the 49ers' big pass plays last season came on first down when San Francisco was in its base personnel package. The 49ers, of course, usually run out of the package, which prompts defenses to move one of their safeties closer to the line of scrimmage. With one safety deep, it was easier - and safer - to take shots downfield.

But that conservative approach isn't necessarily Harbaugh playing to Smith's "strengths and limitations," as Jaworski suggested. Harbaugh did virtually the same thing at Stanford with Andrew Luck, whom the NFL deemed the top quarterback in the draft this year. That is, the approach is more Harbaugh-related than it is Smith-related.

Only one team - the Tim Tebow-led Broncos - threw the ball less than San Francisco in 2011. Only two teams - the Broncos and Texans - ran the ball more. That run-pass ratio may change slightly in 2012 with the addition of high-profile wideouts Randy Moss, Mario Manningham and A.J. Jenkins. But with Harbaugh, a lover of power-based offenses at the helm, it's very unlikely to change dramatically.

Back to Jaworski's list. He has yet to reveal slots 1-14, but they likely will be filled by Jay Cutler, Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Matt Schaub, Tony Romo, Phillip Rivers, Michael Vick, Matthew Stafford, Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers -- not necessarily in that order.

I tend to agree with where Smith is ranked. But it's worth noting that whenever the 49ers needed Smith to be great in 2011, he stepped up. He engineered come-from-behind wins in Philadelphia and in Detroit and against the Saints in the playoffs. He also out-dueled five of the quarterbacks ranked ahead of him - Vick, Stafford, Eli Manning (in the regular season), Roethlisberger and Brees. He'll face Rodgers, Cutler and Brady this season.

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To the unemployed and anyone with a tv in their office: I'm scheduled to talk about Smith today on ESPN's NFL Live at 12:15 p.m. (PST)

-- Matt Barrows

Poor Vernon Davis. The 49ers tight end on Friday made the mistake of saying something mildly interesting at the end of June, a period so devoid of NFL news that any nugget that comes along gets picked over like the last can of beans at Donner Summit.

Davis had the audacity - the sheer gall - to tell a group of high school kids in his native Washington, D.C. that he has lofty ambitions. "I will be the best tight end to ever play this game," Davis said to wild applause, according to WUSA9. "I have a vision." The nerve of the guy.

Of course, this isn't the first - and it won't be the last - time Davis has said something with conviction. Earlier this month, he had the audacity - there sheer gall - to say he thought the 49ers should be considered favorites for the Super Bowl. And he's long said that his goal is to be the best tight end in the history of the NFL, last saying so in January 2010 following a season in which he tied a NFL then-record for tight ends with 13 touchdown catches.

After his recent comment, however, Davis has been pounced upon like a bus monitor in upstate New York. How can Davis aspire to be the best tight end ever, the masses shout, when he's not even the best tight end in 2012?

One of most impressive feats Jim Harbaugh and the 49ers pulled off last year: Going 5-0 in games that started at 10 a.m. PST. How impressive was it? In the five years prior, the 49ers were 6-23 in 10 a.m. kickoffs, and one of those wins came in London.

Harbaugh's only loss in the eastern time zone in 2011 came during a short week against brother John in Baltimore on Thanksgiving night, and Harbaugh made it clear at the time he thought the travel burden was unfair. (He also let the NFL schedule maker know about it).

One decision that seemed to give the 49ers a travel edge was staying east between games in Cincinnati and Philadelphia early in the year. Instead of flying back to San Jose following a narrow win over Bengals in Week 3, the 49ers spent the week in Youngstown, Ohio. They then traveled a short distance to Philadelphia for a narrow win over the Eagles.

Harbaugh last week confirmed there will be another Youngstown stopover this season between the Weeks 3 and 4 games in Minnesota and at the New York Jets. Both contests begin at 10 a.m. PST.

Brian Banks, the recently exonerated linebacker, finished his three-day tryout with the 49ers today and is heading back to Southern California without a contract.

Banks didn't necessarily expect to be offered a deal. The 26-year-old only recently began to concentrate on recapturing a football career that was put on hold when he was accused of raping and kidnapping a classmate when he was 16. His alleged victim recanted her story last year, which led to Banks being fully exonerated May 24. He had served five years in prison and another five on probation and would have been registered as a sex offender for the rest of his life.

Banks is working his way back in football shape and will resume training in Orange County. He's now had workouts with the 49ers, Seahawks, Chargers and Chiefs. Other teams have shown interest, but with most coaches and general managers on vacation, Banks does not have any workouts lined up in the near future. Neither Jim Harbaugh nor Trent Baalke, for example, were on hand this week for Banks' 49ers tryout.

-- Matt Barrows

And then there were none.

The 49ers today announced they had signed first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins to a four-year deal worth as much as $6.9 million. That means all seven of their draft picks are under contract more than a month before they are due to report for training camp. It's also a far cry from their most recent first-round receiver, Michael Crabtree, who didn't sign his deal until five weeks into his rookie season.

Jenkins and the rest of the 49ers rookies wrapped up a minicamp today. Neither head coach Jim Harbaugh (in Peru building houses) nor general manager Trent Baalke were on hand for the three-day session. Assistant coaches and Baalke's top lieutenant, Tom Gamble, were in charge.

Jenkins struggled at times over the last month and half, and Harbaugh noted that he and other rookies weren't in great shape during an early rookie minicamp in May. Jenkins' conditioning, however, improved over time and he had his best practice -- at least of the sessions observed by the media -- on the final day of a full-squad minicamp last week.

Jenkins (6-0, 192) played in 46 games (26 starts) for the Fighting Illini and ranks third in school history with 167 career receptions for 2,432 yards and 19 touchdowns. The three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree also added 33 kickoff returns for 773 yards and one touchdown.

In 2011, Jenkins played in 13 games (12 starts) and tallied 90 catches for 1,276 yards and eight touchdowns. He is just the second player in school history to register 90 receptions in a season, and his 1,276 receiving yards were the second-highest single-season total in school history. The First-Team All-Big Ten and honorable-mention All-America honoree led the Conference with an average of 6.92 receptions per game.

Jenkins, a 22-year old native of Jacksonville, FL, attended Terry Parker High School. As a senior, he registered 41 receptions for 515 yards and four touchdowns, while adding 40 carries for 251 yards.

-- Matt Barrows

If you happened to be at the Jump On In bounce house in Boonton, N.J. today, you saw quite a spectacle: a 6-4, 266-pound NFL running back flailing about on inflatable castles and slides like a first grader hopped up on Sweet-Tarts.

That running back was the 49ers' Brandon Jacobs, who took six-year-old Joseph Armento and his four-year-old brother for an outing they are not soon to forget. Armento, you'll recall, is the New Jersey boy who upon being told the Giants could no longer afford to keep Jacobs, emptied his piggy bank -- $3.36 - and sent it to California in an effort keep his favorite player with the Giants.

Jacobs was touched by the gesture and told Armento's mother, Julie, that he would be in New Jersey for a short time this week while he packed up his belongings and moved his family to the Bay Area. He thought his original idea for a meeting place, Chuck E. Cheese, might cause too much of scene. So they settled on a bounce house.

Jacobs, 29, brought his five-year-old son, Brayden, and the four kids - Jacobs included - played non-stop for nearly two hours. No one even took a water break.

"He told me he really wanted to get out there with the kids," Julie Armento said in a phone interview with The Bee. "He really wanted to enjoy it, and he did. It was amazing."

Said Jacobs, also by phone: "It was just us in the whole place and we were just going room to room - just bouncing and flipping all over the place, hitting each other with balls, sweating, our shirts filthy. We were just dirty, stinky boys, you know?"

Four-man quarterback competitions? Yeah, Scott Tolzien's been there before. In fact, the guy everyone has pegged as the 49ers' No. 4 quarterback this summer was in a very similar spot three years ago.

At the time, Tolzien, a red-shirt junior at Wisconsin, was behind the returning starter, fifth-year senior Dustin Sherer, and a redshirt freshman named Curt Phillips. By the start of the season, however, Tolzien had leapfrogged both and would go on to start two straight seasons for the Badgers.

"Scott has done the best of handling and maintaining his poise and his focus throughout camp of all three of them," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said when he made the surprise decision to start Tolzien in 2009. ". . . Somebody was going to have to come out on top and Scottie is going to get that starting nod. . . . He is just a steady performer. Doesn't get rattled in any situation. He is very, very intelligent."

That description hasn't changed, and it's likely what makes him so popular with the 49ers coaching staff. In fact, Tolzien almost sounds like a coach when he speaks.

When Randy Moss beats a defensive back on the practice field, he comes back and tells his victim all about it. It's not trash talking. Rather it's instruction.

"He tells us the reason why he ran it this way, the reason why he did this, did that," said cornerback Perrish Cox. "Because you might face a receiver like Calvin Johnson or you may face one of the taller, bigger receivers and these are the types of things that he'll do."

Cox said the 49ers spring drills, which for veterans wrapped up last week, were a valuable learning experience, and the newcomer emerged as one of the standouts from the session.

"We like Perrish," defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said. "We've got him playing nickel and corner, which are two different positions. There's no carry over from one to the other, from an assignment and technique standpoint. And he's done well learning both those positions and we're very happy to have him. He's given us added depth and he's going to push for added playing time if he continues the work that he's showing so far."

Cox said that when he arrived in Denver as a rookie in 2010, he was more resistant to playing the nickel role. He said he saw himself as a pure cornerback and didn't appreciate what the other position did. "I didn't quite have the right attitude," he said.

If you were a reporter covering the San Francisco 49ers in that last 25 years, R.C. Owens was a resource you had to have. The one-time wide receiver who lived in Manteca not only had all the phone numbers for his old teammates, he had stories to go along with every former 49er. And he loved to tell them.

Owens passed away on Sunday at age of 77, just seven months after he was inducted into the 49ers Hall of Fame. At that time, the story everyone wanted Owens to tell was the origin of his famous nickname, "Alley Oop." Owens said it remains a partial mystery.

"I don't know who said it, but it became part of the nomenclature," said Owens, who was a rookie when given the nickname in 1957. "You started hearing it in basketball, everywhere. Even when I see a baseball player go up and get a ball, I say, 'He made an Alley Oop.' "

Owens spent his first five NFL seasons (1957-61) as a member of the 49ers before playing for the Baltimore Colts (1962-63) and New York Giants (1964). As a 49er, he totaled 177 receptions for 2,939 yards and 20 touchdowns with his most productive season -- 55 passes for 1,032 yards and five touchdowns - coming in 1961.

Before that, he was a basketball star at the College of Idaho where he played alongside Elgin Baylor. Owens only stood 6-3, but he was an excellent rebounder, averaging nearly 28 rebounds a game as a sophomore. "I could jump," he said during a November 2011 interview. "I could scrape 'em off."

Brian Banks' visit with the 49ers today has been characterized in some national reports as a one-day tryout. It's a bit more than that. Banks, the Southern California linebacker who was wrongfully incarcerated for five years, will take part in a three-day rookie minicamp with the 49ers.

That's the longest he's spent with any team. Banks, 26, has had workouts with the Seahawks, Chargers and Chiefs. Other teams, such as the Vikings, Redskins, Falcons and Giants have inquired about Banks. He's also taken part in a two-day minicamp with Seattle, which looked at him (6-3, 240 pounds) as an inside linebacker.

The 49ers also are likely to eye Banks as an inside linebacker. Their only rookie at the position, undrafted Joe Holland, suffered a foot injury during the team's recent full-squad minicamp and was seen in a walking boot last week. The injury is not expected to keep Holland, who has shown nice athleticism this spring, out of action long, and he's expected to be back for training camp, which for rookies begins July 23.

The Seahawks, of course, would be the most natural fit. Head coach Pete Carroll recruited Banks out of Long Beach Polytechnic High School 10 years ago before Banks was accused - falsely, it turned out - of raping a classmate in a stairwell. Banks pled no contest to the crime to avoid a much longer sentence. He served five years in prison and spent another five on probation before the girl, now a woman, recanted her story.

Banks was cleared in a court case on May 24, and he only truly began to dedicate himself to training after that point. It appears that the Seahawks and other squads are waiting to see whether he gets into shape before giving him a roster spot.

To that end, Banks has agreed to work with well known West Coast trainer Travelle Gaines, who will get his hands on Banks for the first time at the end of the week. Banks will train alongside current 49ers Dashon Goldson and LaMichael James in preparation for an NFL training camp.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King spoke to Banks last week for his Monday Morning Quarterback column. It's well worth a read.

-- Matt Barrows

1.) The NFL spring practices - no pads, no contact, no tackling - catered to the passing game. So it's only natural that the standouts of the spring session were the receivers and the defensive players assigned to cover them.

A number of pass catchers jumped out for the 49ers. Vernon Davis may have been the most prolific during the recent three-day minicamp, an indication that the tight end is picking up where he left off at the end of last season. On Tuesday, Davis had a leaping back-shoulder catch in the back of the end zone that required him to get his feet in bounds as his momentum was carrying past the end line.

It was a fantastic catch in itself. But it's downright astounding if you had seen Davis as a rookie in 2006. He was so raw, so muscle-bound, so inept when it came to any throw in which he wasn't squared to the ball. The degree to which he's improved over that span can't be overstated.

Overall this spring - counting OTAs and minicamps - the two biggest standouts may have been a pair of newcomers, Randy Moss and cornerback Perrish Cox. Everyone knows that Moss is tall and lean. But his physique still grabs your attention when you see him up close, and with his long arms and leaping ability you understand why he's such a favorite target for quarterbacks. Moss took part in every practice since arriving April 30. That speaks toward the veteran's motivation and dedication, which have been his biggest question marks in recent years.

*****Update 6/15****** Banks will take part in a three-day rookie minicamp, a source confirmed Friday. The Monday-Wednesday session will be the longest tryout Banks has had yet. He had a two-day minicamp tryout with the Seahawks and has had workouts with the Chargers and Chiefs.

Brian Banks, the 26-year-old linebacker from Southern California who was wrongfully incarcerated for five years, tweeted today that he plans to take part in a Monday workout with the 49ers. That was confirmed by a league source, who said the session was likely but not yet set in stone. If it occurs as tentatively scheduled, Banks would take part in a rookie minicamp on a tryout basis.

Banks already has worked out for the Seahawks, Chargers and Chiefs, and he spent the last two days taking part in a Seahawks minicamp. Banks said he has not yet been offered a deal by the Seahawks and coach Pete Carroll, who recruited Banks to play at USC a decade ago.

Banks was a star linebacker at Long Beach Polytechnic High School and said he'd made a verbal commitment to USC as a junior. When he was 16, a teenage girl he'd known all his life accused him of rape and kidnapping. Banks was convicted and served more than five years in prison and spent the last five as a registered sex offender. The woman, however, later recanted her story to a private investigator who videotaped the conversation. Banks was completely exonerated in a hearing last month and has been trying to resume his life.

Banks has been training in Orange County and is working his way into football-playing condition. It's not known whether the 49ers see him as an inside or outside linebacker.

-- Matt Barrows

Just when you're ready to write that a quarterback has been off target this spring, he goes and has an excellent practice. That quarterback was Colin Kaepernick, who stood out among the four 49ers passers and had, on the final day of minicamp, by far his best session of the spring (or at least any of the days that were open to the media.)

His top throw, in my opinion, was one to receiver Kyle Williams at the goal line. Going against the first-team defense, all of Kaepernick's targets appeared to be well-covered, including Williams, who was being shadowed by safety Donte Whitner.

But Kaepernick's forte is his arm strength. And he fired the ball over the middle - it went perhaps 20 yards - so quickly that it seemed to surprise Whitner, who probably was in position to knock away another, lesser-armed passer's attempt.

Kaepernick also had a deep pass down the left sideline to undrafted rookie Brian Tyms. The receiver helped make Kaepernick look good by going up and taking the ball away from cornerback Anthony Mosley and safety Mark LeGree, who was trailing on the play.

Strike while the roster's stacked. That's the message Justin Smith wants to send to his younger teammates this year.

"With some of the guys we have, and with free agency and things like that, we're not going to be able to keep this team forever together," the veteran of the defense said today. "Even age-wise, you know? The whole team won't be the same. I'm kind of stressing, 'Let's go about this in a way that we're kind of focused ... we're not rebuilding. Let's do it this year and see what happens next year.'"

Smith is right. The 49ers will bring back all 11 starters to the defense this year, but it will be hard to replicate that in coming years. One of those starters, safety Dashon Goldson, has been looking for a long-term deal for two years now. Two nose tackles, Isaac Sopoaga and Ricky Jean Francois, are in the final years of their contracts this year.

Several other defensive starters, including Smith, are signed through 2013. Others include linebacker NaVorro Bowman, who will be difficult to re-sign, and cornerback Tarell Brown, who had the best season of his career last year.

Then there's Smith's age. He'll turn 33 in September. And while last season may have been the best of his 11-year career, he also realizes that his window for a Super Bowl championship won't be open for long.

"Yeah, I figure I've got three more good years in me, four more good years," Smith said when asked if he thinks about how much longer he'll play. "You know, I don't want to be the guy who comes in - the third-down guy - plays 17 years. I don't want to do that. So, I'm figuring, let's go. Time is of the essence for me, personally. Not everybody else. We have a young defense. I think everyone feels the urgency, and we've got the guys right now. Let's not wait."

What's nice, Smith said, is that he doesn't need to preach this concept. He noted that the 49ers, especially the front seven defenders, are all hard workers and most of them train together through the offseason. He said the younger guys have a similar mentality and don't need to be told what to do.

"This is a unique locker room," Smith said. "You don't really have the gigantic egos. Some of the best players in there are the most down-to-earth guys, solid guys. Just trying to play football. Randy (Moss) had all these what's-he-like ... he's been one of the coolest guys, the hardest-working guys I've ever met. Media-wise, that wasn't the perception that he had. That just goes to show the type of guys they're bringing in and the locker room that's in there."

-- Matt Barrows

Three quarterbacks got a chance to run the two-minute offense at the end of Wednesday's practice. Only one of them, Alex Smith, led the team to a touchdown ... though he and the first-team offense needed four plays at the goal line to do it.

Going against the second-team defense, Smith quickly marched the offense down field, hitting Randy Moss and Brett Swain for medium gains and then connecting with Vernon Davis on their old, reliable seam pattern down the middle of the field. That pass, just over the head of inside linebacker Tavares Gooden, put the 49ers on the goal line.

On the next play, Smith hit Michael Crabtree whose feet were in the end zone put whose torso was on the other side of the goal line. Officials ruled him down on the 1-yard line. On the next play, Alex Boone was whistled for a false start, placing the ball at the 6-yard line.

Smith's second-down bullet to Moss was incomplete, and inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite did a nice job knocking the ball from Kendall Hunter on a short pass on third down.

What's the value of spring practices? Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio today said that OTAs and minicamps provide "good work" to multi-year veterans. But for rookies and first-year players, the time spent on the practice field is "invaluable."

Fangio's prime example - Aldon Smith. He noted that Smith didn't have the benefit of spring sessions last year because they were wiped out by the lockout. In addition, Smith is learning the intricacies of outside linebacker this season - figuring out how to play in zone defenses and trying to be as good or better against the run than the man he is replacing in the starting lineup, Parys Haralson.

Last season Smith was in on 489 of San Francisco's 1026 defensive snaps. But Fangio estimated that only 20 or 30 of them were at outside linebacker. The rest came as a defensive end in a four-man front where Smith's assignment was simply to locate the quarterback and bring him to the ground.

Smith, of course, was ultra effective in that role. He set a 49ers rookie record with 14 regular-season sacks and flirted with the NFL record for a rookie. Was there any inclination to keep Smith in a specialist's role considering how effective he was last year?

The 49ers were short a couple of all-pro inside linebackers at today's minicamp practice. One of them, NaVorro Bowman, was back in Maryland because his girlfriend is expecting twins, a team spokesman said. Meanwhile, Patrick Willis was pulled out of practice early and flew home for personal reasons. Both absences, obviously, are excused.

Jim Harbaugh pulled Willis out of a defensive huddle early in the session. They spoke for a few seconds. Then Willis ran off the field and into the locker room with head trainer Jeff Ferguson. The exact reason for the abrupt departure is unknown.

Later in practice, rookie inside linebacker Joe Holland came off the field and spent the rest of the session observing from the sideline.

That left three inside linebackers - Larry Grant and Tavares Gooden, who lined up with the first-team defense, and Michael Wilhoite, who joined the 49ers' practice squad late last year. Tight end Delanie Walker also left the practice with an injury, although he was on his feet and did not appear to be seriously injured.

Meanwhile, two cornerbacks, Carlos Rogers and Curtis Holcomb, returned to practice after missing recent OTA sessions. Rogers had been dealing with a calf strain. Receiver Ted Ginn and offensive lineman Joe Looney continued their ongoing rehab work.

Rookies Darius Fleming and Cam Johnson also were part of a rehab group. Both had wraps on their left knees. Fleming has a torn ACL and likely will miss the season.

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There were several notable plays on offense and defense:

Every day after practice, Alex Smith goes into a room inside 49ers headquarters and watches himself, over and over, in super slow motion. There's a so-called "QB Cam" trained on him during the individual portion of practices, and Smith later pores over that film for the most minute details of his throwing motion.

"I've thrown, I don't know how many millions of times, and you develop things," Smith said after today's morning walk through. "And it's not like you're going to change things overnight. And these are very small things that I continue to work on. ... Sometimes at the end of practice - I don't know if it's fatigue or whatever - all of a sudden you kind of fall back on some (old habits) that you're doing."

The film study is related to a week-long session he had in March with throwing guru Tom House in Southern California. House is a former relief pitcher who primarily works with big-league pitchers. Barry Zito, for instance, is one of his pupils.

But beginning with Drew Brees in 2004 - Brees helped Smith meet House -- more and more NFL quarterbacks have been going to House for analysis and advice. One of the conclusions House made was that Smith's throwing motion, which had been excellent prior to 2007, was altered after shoulder surgeries in 2007 and 2008.

The 49ers will gather today for their first mandatory practice sessions of the offseason. Attendance, however, isn't expected to be much better than earlier voluntary sessions.

That's because attendance has ranged from very good to excellent throughout the spring. Every 49er save one - safety Dashon Goldson -- has been on hand at some point, and only two of the 90 players on the roster are not expected to be in Santa Clara today. Those two: Goldson, who has yet to sign his franchise tag tender, and second-round pick LaMichael James, who is not permitted to join the 49ers until he completes his final exam. James will arrive on Thursday.

In addition, draft picks Darius Fleming (knee) and Cam Johnson (knee) will not participate. The status of other injured 49ers like Ted Ginn, Carlos Rogers, Joe Looney and Curtis Holcomb are unknown. All four appeared close to returning to full strength last week.

Asked what has stood out in the team's recent OTAs, at which attendance was voluntary, Jim Harbaugh quickly pointed to the participation. "We were pretty much at full force, minus one or two guys," he said. "So, it was outstanding. That attendance has been that way all offseason for us."

There are plenty of reasons for that. Some of the players, like Michael Crabtree and Frank Gore, have clauses in their contracts that require them to be on hand. Many others likely feel they can't afford to miss even a single session because they are battling for spots on the roster.

The ranking below shows the total number of snaps for individual 49ers during the 2011 regular season. The number includes special teams plays, which usually is the second number in parenthesis. (The first number is either offense or defense, depending on the player). Some notes:

• There were 1,026 offensive plays, 1,014 defensive plays and 463 special teams plays.

• Mike Iupati and Jonathan Goodwin tied for the team lead. Both missed four snaps during the season.

• Only one player, Isaac Sopoaga, played all three phases of the game. Interestingly Colin Jones, who is listed as a safety, played one offensive snap but zero defensive snaps.

• The five offensive linemen who finished the season as starters are all in the Top 13, as is tight end Vernon Davis. This shows how remarkably healthy the unit was in 2012.

• Sopoaga was healthy all season but played only 41 percent of the defensive snaps. That's because the nose tackles comes off the field in passing situations. Sopoaga is in his contract season, and that figure is bound to be brought up (a lot) in negotiations.

• Bang for buck: David Akers accounted for only 7 percent of the 49ers' snaps but 44 percent of their points.

1. Goodwin 1,112 (1,022, 90)
1. Iupati 1,112 (1,022, 90)
3. Brown 1,091 (1,007, 84)
4. Bowman 1,088 (989, 99)
5. A. Davis 1,084 (995, 89)

If there was any question about their commitment to their new team or any concern about them enjoying the afterglow of their Super Bowl victory, Mario Manningham and Brandon Jacobs put that to rest over the last two months. Both former Giants skipped the team's ring ceremony in May, and neither was on hand when the 2011 Giants visited the White House Friday.

Jacobs said last month that it didn't take long for him to feel like a 49er. Jim Harbaugh's we-are-family style took hold immediately, he said. And besides, the spring practices were so intense and demanding that he had to focus on the task at hand. (He said he wasn't thinking about the Giants, although he had Oct. 14 - the day the Giants visit Candlestick Park - at the top of his memory bank).

Manningham also is consciously trying to shove 2011 to the far back of his mind. The Merc's Dan Brown recently wrote a fantastic piece detailing Manningham's famous Super Bowl reception. Manningham, however, didn't seem at all interested in re-living his six-month-old glory. "I don't ignore it. I know what I did: I won a Super Bowl with a nice catch," he said. "But I'm trying to get another one, man."

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers are one of a handful of teams interested in Brian Banks, the 26-year-old linebacker from Southern California who was wrongfully incarcerated for five years.

Banks had a workout Thursday with the Seahawks and is working out for the Chargers today, agent Bruce Tollner said. Tollner said Banks had a handful of visits scheduled next week but there was nothing concrete with the 49ers at this point.

Banks was a star linebacker at Long Beach Polytechnic High School and said he'd made a verbal commitment to USC as a junior. When he was 16, a teenage girl accused him of rape and kidnapping. Banks was convicted and served more than five years in prison and spent the last five as a registered sex offender. The woman, however, later recanted her story to a private investigator who videotaped the conversation. Banks was completely exonerated in a hearing last month and has been trying to resume his life.

"This is a great illustration for us why people deserve a second chance," Seahawks coach Carroll told the Seattle media Thursday. "Because of what he has overcome and because of what lies ahead for him in his life. This is just one step but it's a step he's been dreaming about for a long time. And it's just such a great illustration about not giving up and competing for what you want and not let your circumstances or surroundings dictate what is going to happen in your life."

One of the first steps a team must take is deciding which position Banks will play. Tollner said some teams envision him - he's 6-2, 240 pounds -- as an inside linebacker, some see him playing outside linebacker. The 49ers' bigger need is at outside linebacker after both of their draft picks, Darius Fleming and Cam Johnson, went down with knee injuries. Johnson is expected back for training camp; Fleming is likely out for the season with an ACL tear.

Banks has been working out with a trainer in Orange County but is not yet in football-playing condition. Carroll and the Seahawks invited him to take part in next week's minicamp on a tryout basis.

-- Matt Barrows

Matt Barrows hosts a live chat at 11 a.m. today focusing on the 49ers organized team activities and what they revealed about the team and its development so far. Brings you questions, comments and observations for your online conversation with Matt.

During the second half of the 2011 season, there was a better than 50 percent chance that a 49ers running play went to someone other than Frank Gore. After handling more than 65 percent of the team's carries through the first eight games, Gore - nicked by injuries -- slowed down significantly in the final eight games.

From a Nov. 13 showdown against the Giants onward, Gore took 123 of the 252 regular-season carries, which is 49 percent. Through all 16 games, he handled 57 percent of the his team's total carries, which ranked 11th among NFL running backs.

Still, the 49ers ran the ball so often in 2011 - 498 times, the most in the NFC - that Gore ended up with 282 total carries, the fifth most in the NFL and the second-most of Gore's career. All of this suggests that while San Francisco's rushing attempts may be divided more than ever in 2012 among Gore, Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James and others, there is still an opportunity for individual rushers to get a significant number of carries.

The goal this year, running backs coach Tom Rathman said, is to be wise in how the carries are divided. The 49ers obviously leaned heavily on Gore early last year while Hunter and the passing game were developing following the lockout.

When it comes to professional athletes and Twitter, the posts mostly boil down to shout outs to pals, dinner plans and running commentary on NBA playoff games. Brandon Jacobs' account, however, held something more meaningful this week.

On Wednesday the 49ers running back used the platform to share a letter he received from a six-year-old Giants fan in New Jersey who cobbled together his life savings -- $3.36 from his piggy bank - in the hope it would allow Jacobs to return to the Giants.

"I hope this letter finds you well," Joseph Armento said in a letter typed out by his mother. "Congratulations on the Superbowl win! Our family will miss you next year, but we wish you all the very best in San Francisco."

Jacobs -- @gatorboy45 -- took a picture of the letter along with the money inside - two $1 bills, a $1 coin, three dimes and six pennies - and posted them to his Twitter account. He also posted his reaction: "I almost cried, I am still trying to hold it in. I may have to pay him a surprise visit."

After Thursday's practice, Jacobs said it was something he hoped every athlete could experience. "It meant a lot to me and gave me a lot of motivation," he said. "I want to do good and go out there and do the best I can for little Joe. After thinking about it since it happened, I'm going to remember this for the rest of my life."

The driving forces behind the letter - kind heartedness and free agency.

Before Joseph's message, the boy's mother, Julie Armento, explained to Jacobs that her son asked why he and former Giants receiver Mario Manningham, who also is now a 49er, are no longer with the Giants. She said she explained that the Giants did not have enough money to keep them. "So, in an effort to convince you to return to NY he wrote you the enclosed letter, and included money for you from his piggy bank," she wrote.

Jacobs stands to earn a bit more this season if he makes the team. In March, he signed a one-year deal that could be worth as much as $2 million.

Still, the $3.36 served as a fantastic bonus for Jacobs, who said he was thinking about taking Joseph to Chuck E. Cheese. "When I go back to New Jersey, we are going to have some fun together," Jacobs said.

-- Matt Barrows

All apologies to Frank Gore, but the most dominating running back performance I've seen since I've been covering the 49ers came courtesy of Anthony Dixon.

Sure it was the preseason. And it was just the second half. But during an Aug. 15, 2010 game against the Colts, Dixon made his opponents look as if they were made out of straw. He stiff-armed them, ran past them and bowled over them for 100 yards and a touchdown. He ended the preseason as the league's top rusher and won a spot on the 49ers' roster.

The promise that game held, however, never has been fulfilled. Dixon has received scant carries in the last two seasons and he's done little to earn more chances. Now he seems like the odd man out in the competition to land one of the 49ers' running back positions. After all, the team that carried three tailbacks last season currently has seven on the roster, including franchise-leading rusher Gore, second-round draft pick LaMichael James and up and comer Kendall Hunter.

But Dixon says he's accustomed to competition and didn't seem at all bowed by his prospects. "I grew up with three brothers," Dixon said. "All we did was compete - all day, every day. So, it's nothing to me. I'm enjoying it. I'm having fun with these guys. This is my family for right now."

Football players by day, pugilists by night? It appears that a boxer uprising has swept over the 49ers this spring as offensive and defensive linemen work on their punching and blocking after practice while others step into the ring after practice.

On Wednesday, running backs coach Tom Rathman noted that Frank Gore has been boxing at night (It's obviously helped Gore drop weight in the last few weeks.) Meanwhile, agent Drew Rosenhaus on Wednesday re-tweeted video of his client, Anthony Davis, sparring in San Jose. (Both Gore and Davis are represented by Rosenhaus).

As guard Alex Boone explained last month, the purpose is to improve hand-eye coordination and, at least for offensive linemen, to develop a better strike. It also doesn't hurt that boxing is excellent for stamina. All of the offensive linemen as well as defensive linemen like Justin Smith and Ray McDonald have added boxing to their after-practice repertoires.

Throwing punches, of course, is not a new concept in Santa Clara. George Chung, a five-time karate champion, consulted with the team in the 1990s and early 2000s and routinely would spar with players like Andre Carter, Bryant Young and Derrick Deese after practices and before games. Chung always said that the close-quarters combat between offensive and defensive linemen was like a heavyweight bout.

-- Matt Barrows

Tom Rathman is anticipating hurt feelings. The 49ers, after all, essentially have been a one-man show at running back since the 2006 season. That's when Frank Gore took over as San Francisco's featured runner, and he's taken the lion's share of the carries since then.

This year, that solo act promises to give way to an ensemble cast. The problem is that there's not a role for everyone. "I don't know if everyone's going to be happy with the time that they get," Rathman, the team's running backs coach, said. "... Because we don't know what the situation is right now. It's all going to play itself out. The good thing is we've got depth at the position. So we're going to lay it on the line when we get into training camp and see who fits what role."

During the offseason, the 49ers brought in veteran Brandon Jacobs during free agency and used a second-round draft pick on LaMichael James. Those two joined a group that already had Gore, emerging second-year runner Kendall Hunter and third-year tailback Anthony Dixon. The 49ers also brought in undrafted free agent Jewel Hampton and signed free agent Rock Cartwright to be a special teams ace.

Another difference from previous years is that it's June and Gore is working out in the Bay Area. He's usually in his native South Florida at this time.

Gore was well above his playing weight when he reported for the 49ers offseason program, but that's normal. He usually gains weight in the offseason - getting up to 220 pounds or so - before losing it in July in anticipation of training camp. Indeed, Gore already has shed most of that weight in the last few weeks. Rathman said Gore works out three days a week, including a boxing regimen at night.

"He's working hard, he's out here, he understands what's at stake," he said. "We've got a very good group. We're very close to where we want to go. And I think the attendance we had this offseason kind of exemplifies that as far as guys want to be here, they want to be in the system, be around their teammates because they know we're close. And we've just got to take that next step."

Rathman spoke about each of his primary runners:

One of the 49ers players targeted by former Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams in a threatening and profanity-laced speech Jan. 13 has come to the defense of a New Orleans linebacker. Frank Gore said Tuesday he has no beef with Jonathan Vilma or the Saints.

Gore and Vilma go way back. The two played football together at Coral Gables High and later at the University of Miami. Vilma joined the NFL in 2004. Gore followed a year later.

They are now on opposite ends of the Saints bounty controversy. Vilma is in the crosshairs of the investigation and has been suspended a year for allegedly offering money to teammates in the Saints' pay-for-hits scandal. Williams has been suspended indefinitely.

Gore, meanwhile, was one of several 49ers offensive players targeted by Williams before the teams met in a divisional playoff game. Said Williams: "We've got to do everything in the world to make sure we kill Frank Gore's head. We want him running sideways. We want his head sideways."

Gore said he had no concerns over the tape. In fact, he said he hasn't listened to it. Told that Williams said he wanted Gore's "head sideways," the running back said, "When you hear another team call your name, that means respect. That's a lot of respect, and you're doing something right for your team. So it don't bother me at all."

As for Vilma and the Saints defenders, Gore said the threatening talk in the New Orleans meeting room didn't translate to the field the next day. The Saints weren't flagged for a single penalty in the game, a 36-32 win by the 49ers. Defensive end Will Smith (four games) and former Saints defenders Anthony Hargrove (eight games) and Scott Fujita (three) also were suspended.

"When we played them, I felt it was how the game was supposed to be played," Gore said. "And I played high school ball with Vilma, and I know he's not that type of guy. He's a hard worker, he enjoys the game of football and he's going to give it his all every snap."

Vilma is appealing his suspension and has filed a defamation lawsuit against Commissioner Roger Goodell and the league. The 49ers will visit the Saints on Nov. 25.

-- Matt Barrows

One of the sights of the day was 293-pound Will Tukuafu catching a swing pass from Alex Smith and then racing inside linebacker Patrick Willis to the corner of the end zone for a touchdown. (Willis claimed that he tagged Tukuafu at the 1-yard line but did not win the argument).

Tukuafu's primary job is defensive end, but he's exclusively played fullback in the two practices - last week and today - that have been open to the media. He seems to be one of those three-way players Jim Harbaugh was talking about last week. Tukuafu began last season on the 53-man squad and had a sizable role on special teams, which is where he suffered the broken wrist that cost him the season.

Tukuafu, playing behind first-string fullback Bruce Miller, showed nice finesse today in the non-padded practices. But Harbaugh said there's more to come. "Will's doing a great job athletically," Harbaugh said. "I think the best will come when he puts on the pads, and that's when it will get really exciting and fun."

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Wideout Randy Moss had one of his vintage catches on a goal-line on a throw from Colin Kaepernick. Tarell Brown had tight coverage and knocked the ball away from Moss. But Brown didn't knock it away far enough. Moss reached up and with quick hands snagged it out of the air for the touchdown ... Moss, however, didn't catch everything. Josh Johnson, who throws the nicest ball of all the quarterbacks, hit Moss in stride on a deep pass in the end zone. Moss, however, only reached out one arm and did not come up with the catch. (He had a few, choice, four-letter words for himself after the drop).

The 49ers doubled up on only one position, outside linebacker, during the recent draft because they had so few outside linebackers on the 53-man roster last season. Now both of those draft picks are out with - presumably - knee injuries.

Jim Harbaugh said seventh-round pick Cam Johnson had a "clean-out" procedure that is not expected to keep him out of training camp. Harbaugh would not discuss the specific injury, but Johnson's most recent coach, UVA's Mike London, said last month that Johnson pushed through a knee injury - including what London termed a "bone-on-bone situation" - as a senior last year.

Johnson on Sunday tweeted, "Praying for patience."

Harbaugh did say that Johnson was dealing with problems in the recent OTA practices and that the thought process was to address it now so that Johnson will be pain free when training camp begins in late July. "I think it was hindering him early in OTAs and minicamp," Harbaugh said.

The 49ers' other rookie outside linebacker, Darius Fleming, tore his ACL during a rookie minicamp last month. Though he hasn't been placed on injured reserve, Fleming is a long shot to play this year.

The only three outside linebackers on the roster last year were Ahmad Brooks, Parys Haralson and Aldon Smith. Smith and Brooks have been playing with the first-team defense while Haralson and Eric Bakhtiari, who played for Harbaugh at San Diego, were with the second team. The 49ers also signed undrafted free agent Kourtnei Brown, who played defensive end at Clemson.

Johnson's situation is reminiscent of last year when then draft pick Colin Kaepernick opted to have a minor procedure during the lockout so that he'd be healthy for training camp.

-- Matt Barrows

chris lockwood ‏@ChrisLoces: It's going to b interesting to c how Taylor fares Ths seasn as a starter. Cldnt we hve kpt him for depth?

There was a lot of chatter yesterday about Taylor Mays after reports noted that he's been getting the most playing time of all the Bengals safeties for the starting spot opposite Reggie Nelson. But he also has the most experience after Nelson, which likely is why he's getting more repetitions in May and June.

Here's Bengals reporter Joe Reedy, who writes that Mays, a second-round pick by the 49ers in 2010, has the edge right now for the starting spot but does not have it locked in. Defensive coordinator Mike "Zimmer would like to see more consistency," Reedy writes. "Zimmer says there has been some progress from Mays, who was acquired in a trade from San Francisco last year, but that there is still more that has to be gained."

The 49ers dealt Mays to the Bengals in August - they received a seventh-round pick in 2013 in return - when they had a glut of safeties. Since then, veterans Reggie Smith and Madieu Williams have departed via free agency, and the team is looking for depth at the position among a group of green youngsters.

One interesting note is that Zimmer and the Bengals prefer size when it comes to safeties. Mays, of course, is almost linebacker-like in stature. The other two players competing for the open spot are Boise State rookie George Iloka and Robert Sands, both of whom are 6-4.

The 49ers, meanwhile, have gone in the opposite direction. They drafted 5-9, 193-pound Trenton Robinson in the sixth round and also brought in undrafted Michael Thomas, who is *5-10, 185 pounds. Both look more like cornerbacks - small cornerbacks - than they do safeties.

But they also are good in coverage, which was where Mays struggled. And in a league that has increasingly gone to the air, coverage ability trumps size. "With so many sub sets with three and four receivers in the game, one of your safeties has to be a major cover guy," defensive backs coach Ed Donatell said. "And those guys are out of that profile."

As Donatell noted, the 49ers will face the five most prolific passers from 2011 during the upcoming season. The answer to the original question is that, if Mays was a liability in coverage as the 49ers concluded, there was no reason to keep him around.

* Thomas is listed as 5-11 but actually measured 5-9 7/8 inches at his pro day.

-- Matt Barrows

It's hard to believe that a few piddly drops of rain would wash out a Jim Harbaugh-planned practice, but the 49ers session scheduled for today was cancelled, the reason unannounced. The 49ers had planned to wrap up their OTAs with a four-day session this week. They'll hold practices Tues-Thurs.

Before the NFC Championship game in January, Harbaugh embraced the rain and said he was hoping for inclement weather for the big game. "Admiral Bull Halsey once said, 'If you're going to fight in the North Atlantic, then you've got to prepare in the North Atlantic,'" Harbaugh said at the time, perhaps getting his W.W. II admirals confused. 

Those of you who live in Northern California know that the region saw a rare June storm starting this morning. According to weather.com, the area received a quarter inch of rain

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The 49ers announced plans to upgrade the wireless service for the final two years they are in Candlestick Park. One on the major features of their new Santa Clara stadium is that it will be wired with the latest technology, allowing fans to use their handheld devices to complement the game-day experience.

Apparently, that will begin in part at Candlestick this season with the installation of a distributed antenna system (DAS). The team is collaborating with Verizon Wireless and Sprint on the project, which, according to a press release, is "expected to dramatically improve wireless voice and data service for Sprint and Verizon Wireless customers during 49ers home games."

"Fans will have access to the carriers' 3G and 4G networks where available, enabling the best experience in wireless data usage including social networking, web browsing, downloading apps, exchanging email and text, picture and video messaging. The DAS system is for wireless phone communications only and does not incorporate Wi-Fi service."

-- Matt Barrows

It's a rite of spring in Northern California along with blooming crocuses and arriving robins. Every year around this time, we read how Alex Smith is adopting a new, more take-charge attitude for the upcoming season.

This jackass, for example, wrote about Smith's growing assertiveness last year, twice in 2010 - here and here -- and once in 2009. (He also wrote about it in 2007 but he can't find the link).

Like clockwork, Smith's personality again is a subject this spring. How can one avoid the topic after what he said about Carolina quarterback Cam Newton and his sloughing off of coach Jim Harbaugh's rehash of the Peyton Manning saga? Smith, a polite, exquisitely mannered quarterback who tried to please everyone in the past, has seemingly adopted an I-don't-care demeanor this year.

Perhaps it has to do with his March visit to throwing guru Tom House, who is from Smith's hometown of San Diego and which was documented last month by the Chron's Eric Branch. In addition to analyzing Smith's throwing motion and determining that he still is affected slightly by the shoulder surgeries and rehabilitations he had in 2007 and 2008, House told me over the weekend that Smith's nutrition and his mental-emotional makeup also were analyzed.

House declined to discuss his specific findings about Smith. But in general, he said, some quarterbacks run into problems when they pile too much onto themselves. He used his first quarterback client, Drew Brees, as an example. Brees is the one who recommended that Smith visit House.

"I think what I can say without getting Drew in trouble is, this was a young man who cared too much and tried to do too much personally when other people on the field were not doing what they should," House said. "He carried that on his shoulders."

House said quarterbacks should have plenty of empathy but not so much empathy that it affects their performance. He was full of praise for the four quarterbacks who visited him in March - Smith, the Patriots' Tom Brady, the Raiders' Carson Palmer and the Chiefs' Matt Cassel - but he said the adjustment that group, as whole, would have to take is to be less empathetic.

Said House of Smith: "What he's learning how to do is not care too much. He can care enough but he can't care too much."

-- Matt Barrows

Eric Bakhtiari made up a word this week, but it's a good word: meritocracist. As in: Jim Harbaugh is a meritocracist.

Bakhtiari, you see, played for Harbaugh at the University of San Diego beginning in 2004. "He was a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme, and he had a tremendous college career," Harbaugh recalled. "He was our best player on defense when he was down there. He had a great career."

In fact, Bakhtiari was on a panel of players who actually interviewed Harbaugh in the spring of 2003 and gave the then-Raiders assistant their seal of approval before he was given the head-coaching job.

So Harbaugh owes you one, right? Nah, says Bakhtiari, who is now an outside linebacker with the 49ers. "He's seen me play but that's as far as it goes," he said. "Harbaugh's always been a meritocracist. You have to earn everything you get."

Still, Bakhtiari seems to have a fair shot - a puncher's chance - of making the squad. The 49ers said they gambled last year by having only three outside linebackers on the roster and won't do so again this season. They drafted two players at the position in April, but one of them, Notre Dame's Darius Fleming, tore his ACL during a rookie minicamp.

That injury likely means Bakhtiari will be competing with seventh-round pick Cam Johnson when training camp begins next month. "Somebody's going to have to fill that role," Harbaugh said. "So we'll keep looking at it and evaluating it every day."

Whoever becomes the No. 4 outside linebacker would have to play a lot of special teams, and Bakhtiari says that's his specialty and his ticket to winning a roster spot. "Be an outstanding special teams player and prove that you have worth on the defensive side of the ball. And that's my goal, that's my focus," he said.

After leaving San Diego, Bakhtiari, who is from Burlingame, has bounced around the league. He's already been on the 49ers' practice squad twice - once in 2008 and again in 2010. He says his practice-squad eligibility ran out two years ago.

"It's 53 (-man roster) or bust," he said. "My job opportunities dwindled in the last couple of years."

-- Matt Barrows