49ers Blog and Q&A

Safety Donte Whitner had strong words for the Saints and their bounty program on Monday. Apparently, the Saints were listening.

Linebacker Scott Shanle took to Twitter today to essentially tell Whitner to butt out. "Guy needs to shut his mouth and mind his own business. Don't remember them winning the superbowl. U still ringless. We got one and working on two now. Try to keep up."

Whitner on Monday discussed the irony of his famous knock-out hit in the divisional playoff game against the Saints. He said that good defenses with good players don't need bounties, and he painted a sharp contrast between what was going on in the Saints and 49ers defensive meeting rooms before the game.

"He's the same guy he is each and every game, and you can appreciate that," Whitner said of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. "Because some coaches get into that moment the night before the game, the day of the game and you really don't know who they are. They change into another person. Because they're as nervous or even more nervous than the players are. But you don't really see that with Vic."

"If you have the right type of guys in that room, you don't have to set bounties or pay money for guys to play physical and play hard," Whitner said. "It's going to come naturally. That's the type of guys we have on our defense. That's why we don't have to do those type of things."

It's odd that Shanle would tell Whitner to mind his own business. The Saints, after all, were discussing injuries to Whitner's offensive teammates on Jan. 13, which makes it his business. The two teams face off in New Orleans Nov. 25. Prepare your popcorn.

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The 49ers activated fourth-round pick Joe Looney from the non-football injury list after he passed a physical today. Looney suffered a Lisfranc (foot/ankle) injury in January. It's not know whether Looney will line up at left or right guard when the 49ers resume practice Wednesday.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers are taking a day off, but I'm not. I'll be hosting a training-camp chat at 11 a.m. But first, here's a rough depth chart based on the first week of training camp.

I say it's rough because it's ever-changing. Wide receivers, for example, rotate into the formations on an as-needed basis. You can see Randy Moss working with the first stringers on one play and then Brian Tyms will be in his spot on the next.

Also, the spots at which players are lined up aren't always the logical ways things would play out during the season. For example, guard Alex Boone likely would be the backup tackle if anything were to happen to starting tackles Anthony Davis or Joe Staley. On defense, Parys Haralson will back up both right and left outside linebacker.

But he can't play both with second-team so Eric Bakhtiari or Kourtnei Bown or Cam Johnson comes in with that unit. Haralson, of course, was the starter on the right side last year. So he's playing a lot on the left this summer to get more accustomed to that side.

Offense:

If you took the four 49ers quarterbacks to a carnival, Colin Kaepernick is the most likely to go home with a giant teddy bear.

I say that after watching Kaepernick out-gun his three fellow passers Monday in an amusing accuracy drill devised by quarterbacks coach Geep Chryst. From about 10 yards away, the four had to throw 10 footballs into a square pocket - maybe two feet by two feet - in the goal post netting. Chryst was measuring them on both accuracy and on how quickly they could fire out the footballs.

During the first go-around, both Kaepernick and Alex Smith got seven balls into the square. Kaepernick, however, did it a second faster than Smith. (Scott Tolzien was accurate on six balls; Josh Johnson got five in).

The last drill was the most difficult. There are actually three squares in the netting, which descend from upper left to lower right. Chryst designated them red, white and blue. He would call out a color before the quarterback would throw. "Red" was the upper left-hand pocket, "white" was the middle square, etc, etc.

Johnson tossed in six balls. Tolzien hit seven. Kaepernick, meanwhile, got on a real roll and connected on eight of 10 balls. The sessions ended before Smith got his final turn.

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One of the best-looking pass catchers Monday? Defensive-end/tight end Demarcus Dobbs, who hauled in two fast-moving passes on crossing routes from Smith and Johnson. Dobbs made both while on the run in front of the linebacker. Dobbs, however, was called for a false start penalty late in practice during a drill that simulates the 49ers being backed up on their own goal line. Hey, nobody's perfect.

Vernon Davis ran the same route as Dobbs and also hauled in a nice ball from Smith. He, however, was stripped of the ball by Patrick Willis.

Remember the hot-headed, profanity-laced, violence-infused pre-game speech then-Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams gave before the team's divisional playoff game in San Francisco earlier this year? Audio here.

Safety Donte Whitner today painted an entirely different picture of what was going on in the 49ers' defensive meeting room at the same time.

"Believe it or not, he's very calm," Whitner said of 49ers defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. "The way he is during practice is the same way he is the night before the game. He's very calm, he informed us of everything we have to do to get the win, the players we had to take out of the game - not physically or literally - but to take them out of the game, not allow them to make plays. ...

"He's the same guy he is each and every game, and you can appreciate that," Whitner continued. "Because some coaches get into that moment the night before the game, the day of the game and you really don't know who they are. They change into another person. Because they're as nervous or even more nervous than the players are. But you don't really see that with Vic."

I was asked on KNBR radio this morning to explain Jim Harbaugh's unexpected harangue yesterday to the media regarding A.J. Jenkins. It was reminiscent of his May diatribe about the team's non-pursuit of Peyton Manning, during which he backed Alex Smith. To me, the explanation is simple.

1.) Harbaugh always backs his players. The most critical he's ever been of one of his 49ers players came last year when he kinda/sorta called out Braylon Edwards. But even that was mild. As Randy Moss noted on Friday, Harbaugh is a former player who is very much a "players' coach." The 49ers love him for that, and it's effective.

2.) Jim Harbaugh is competitive. (You may have read that somewhere.) He's a feisty guy. Just ask Jim Kelly. Or Pete Carroll. Or Jim Schwartz. The list goes on and on. The 49ers were practicing in pads Sunday for the first time this season. There was a chippy vibe in the air. Harbaugh was merely taking a few swings - verbal swings - at the media.

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A few of you who read about Harbaugh's annual trip to Peru have asked about how you can help. There's a web site called www.santisimo.org that provides a way to get involved.

-- Matt Barrows

I don't know who deserves more sympathy, the 49ers' backup offensive linemen or their backup defensive linemen. Both groups took their share of abuse in the 49ers' first fully padded practice of the new season, which at one point Harbaugh called "thudball."

The prime suspect on defense was - who else? - defensive end Justin Smith, who was last seen tossing aside New Orleans Saints and New York Giants offensive lineman as if he were Godzilla marching through downtown Tokyo. Smith on Sunday twice sent 300-plus pound offensive linemen sprawling onto their backsides. The first victim was second-year player Derek Hall, who is lining up at left guard with the second-team defense. Smith sent Hall flying as if he was made of straw.

Hall had a rough day as he was handled pretty well by rookie Tony Jerod-Eddie (Texas A&M) during blocking drills. Later in the practice, Jerod-Eddie got a vocal attaboy from defensive line coach Jim Tomsula after he blew up a short dump pass to running back Kendall Hunter.

Backup center Daniel Kilgore also felt Smith's wrath. During team drills, he flew backwards as if he had been struck head on by a moving vehicle. Which is all a long ways of saying that Smith is in midseason form. No one's surprised.

On offense, tight end Delanie Walker seemed to take delight in hitting linebackers - including a big one that knocked down Larry Grant - and defensive backs on outside running plays. Mike Iupati also had a huge block on rookie defensive lineman Patrick Butrym.

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One of the results of Jim Harbaugh's harangue today about A.J. Jenkins is that Jenkins is bound to receive even more scrutiny than he was getting before as a first-round pick. Jenkins' big test today was one-on-one drills with cornerbacks, who for the first time this offseason could chuck him at the line of scrimmage.

When Jim Harbaugh decides to make an unprompted comment, you'd better have your notebook and pen ready. Because it promises to contain some charged language.

Harbaugh was not scheduled to talk to the media today. But as offensive coordinator Greg Roman was at the podium, Harbaugh sat in the back eating his lunch. When Roman stepped down, Harbaugh stepped forward and launched into a passionate defense of first-round draft pick A.J. Jenkins, the subject of some critical comments during the spring sessions.

"For those scribes, pundits, so-called experts who have gone as far to say that he's going to be a bust - just stop," Harbaugh said. " I recommend that. They're making themselves look more clueless than they already did. I'll go on record: A.J. is going to be an outstanding football player."

Jenkins was one of several rookies who arrived for the team's very first rookie minicamp in May out of shape. When Harbaugh was asked specifically about how Jenkins looked at the time, he said, "The group of receivers looked good today. Out of shape -- that's the bad news," Harbaugh said. "The good news is that it's a very talented group of those young receivers. You can tell that right away. The bad news is we've got to get them in shape. I don't know exactly what all these guys were doing for the last six months."

Today Harbaugh said he was talking about the group of rookies as a whole. "And I said they would eventually get there," he said as far as their conditioning. "And they are there. And A.J. Jenkins specifically - his conditioning is tip top."

Alex Smith and Vernon Davis have made a killing over the last few years on a simple seam route that pits Davis' speed against that of the opponent's inside linebacker. None has been able to keep pace.

But when the duo tried that play in today's practice, Smith's pass was broken up and Davis ended up sprawled on the grass. The culprit? Patrick Willis, who last year took on the role as the 49ers' designated tight end stopper and who is trying to perfect his craft this year.

Among the tight ends Willis will face this year are Green Bay's Jermichael Finley (Week 1), Detroit's Brandon Pettigrew (Week 2), the Jets' Dustin Keller (Week 4), New Orleans' Jimmy Graham (Week 13) and New England's Rob Gronkowski (Week 15). Gronkowski and Graham finished first and second in receiving yards by a tight end last year and combined for 28 touchdowns..

"I feel if I can cover our guys - or cover them pretty well - then there shouldn't be a tight end in the league that I shouldn't be able to cover," Willis said. "So I just work on covering those guys when I have the opportunity."

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Cornerback Chris Culliver and wide receiver Mario Manningham exchanged shoves today after Culliver gave Manningham a shot to the side of the facemask. It was a very minor incident and is only noteworthy because the two teammates were rivals last season.

Wide receiver Michael Crabtree was not on the field when 49ers practice began Saturday afternoon. Crabtree went down with an apparent ankle injury late in Friday's session. He walked off the field after the session under his own power, and the injury did not appear serious.

Crabtree has dealt with an array of injuries - foot, neck, foot - during his previous three summer sessions and has yet to play in a preseason game. His health has been cited by quarterback Alex Smith for why he is excited about playing with Crabtree this season.

"He had such a great spring and summer," Smith said Friday. "I think just keep doing what he's doing, what we're doing. I felt like he had a great offseason. And I think just continue to work hard. The guy does so many things, he can do so many things. You need a guy in that sense to just keep getting better. Just keep getting, like I said, more consistent and just continue to strive to get better."

A 49ers spokesman said that Crabtree was "working through something." Gee, I wonder where he obtained that information ...

-- Matt Barrows

What do Demarcus Dobbs, Will Tukuafu and Michael Wilhoite have in common? They are all bubble-type defensive players who would boost their chances of making the final squad by mastering an offensive position.

Dobbs (6-2, 285) is a defensive end who has been moonlighting as a tight end. (Really more like an H-back). Tukuafu (6-4, 293) has been playing fullback, as has Wilhoite (6-0, 240) who normally plays inside linebacker.

The downside to the experiment, as defensive coordinator Vic Fangio explained today, is that every day those young players are studying offense is one fewer day they are picking up the defense.

Said Fangio: "But the big picture says that if he's (Dobbs) is the fourth, fifth or sixth defensive lineman and he can fulfill a role on offense also, that allows him to, No. 1, improve his chances to make the team and, No. 2, if he makes the team allows him a better opportunity to be dressed as one of the 45 (players) on game day. ...

"So, it makes him more versatile. Does it affect his development at one position? Yes, it does," Fangio said. "There's no way around that. But in this case right now, it's better for the team and better for him and his chances of making the team."

Last year, the 49ers kept seven defensive linemen - a big number for a 3-4 defense - but had little use on defense for most of the backups. One starting defensive end, Justin Smith, played 91 percent of the defensive snaps in the regular season. The other, Ray McDonald, played 84 percent of the snaps.

The 49ers' first training camp practice is in the books, and it ended 20 minutes early.

There were no surprises as far as the depth chart. Dashon Goldson, who missed all of the spring drills, was with starting defense at free safety. Alex Boone was still lining up at right guard with the first-team offensive line depite yesetrday's signing of Leonard Davis. Jim Harbaugh said the plan was to give Davis practice repetitions at both right and left tackle.

The two-way players today were defensive end Demarcus Dobbs, who moonlighted as a tight end and inside linebacker Michael Wilhoite, who tried his hand at fullback. Wilhoite, who spent part of last year on the practice squad, is 6-0, 240 and doesn't lack for strength.

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Cornerback Perrish Cox, who stood out throughout the spring sessions, carried that momentum into training camp. Cox looked very good in the seven-on-seven drills. Then in team drills, he picked off a pass from Josh Johnson that was bobbled and tipped by rookie tight end Garrett Celek. Cox has been playing both cornerback and nickel back with the second-team defense

The other interception of the day was turned in by C.J. Spillman on a pass from Scott Tolzien that also was intended for Celek. Spillman mostly played alongside rookie safety Trenton Robinson with the second-team defense.

Randy Moss sounds like he's found the Fountain of Youth in Santa Clara.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since he was signed in March, Moss struck a decidedly optimistic and content tone, saying that while his birth certificate says he's 35 years old, he doesn't feel like it.

"I love being around the guys," he said. "These guys are young and very enthusiastic. I don't really feel my age being around these guys. They love to have fun. Coach Harbaugh - he's a player's coach. I watched coach Harbaugh growing up. When I first came into the league, he was on his way out. Coach Harbaugh, he came in fired up from Day 1 yesterday. We like to have fun around here. I don't feel my age. I love to have fun and I feel good."

The question, of course, is whether Moss can recapture his glory days on the football field, especially after a year off and especially in an offense that last year had more running plays than pass plays. Moss made several dazzling catches during the spring - "Coach Harbaugh put our team through a hell of an offseason," he said -- and seemed plenty fast on the "go" routes he made famous in Minnesota.

But he refused to make any predictions on how he'd look in a game situation. "I'll let you judge that," he said. "Right now I'll try to get better day to day. I don't worry about that. The coaching staff, equipment managers, trainers and guys in the locker room, we love to have fun. Being 35 years of age, I don't really feel 35. If you're asking me if my level of play is going to be up or down, I don't really know. I look forward to seeing what's going to happen, though."

Moss and the 49ers currently are going through their first practice. As expected, all of the non-injured players are on the practice field. Rookie Darius Fleming (ACL) is wearing a sleeve on his knee but is no longer on crutches. Fellow rookie Joe Looney (foot) is working on his own with trainers, firing out of a three-point stance and sprinting down field.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers' depth chart doesn't have a lot of depth. At least according to head coach Jim Harbaugh, who is looking to squeeze as much competition as possible out of training camp.

Hey, Jim, how about that report this month from Rich Gannon that you told him Randy Moss is your top receiver? Not so, Harbaugh said today, about two hours before the team's first training-camp practice. He said instead there are "five guys who are a No. 1 receiver going into this camp. Like I said before, we're finding out what the roles are, who the starters are, who's a backup, a contributer. I feel really good about that. We've got five guys tied for first."

Those five, according to Harbaugh: Moss, Michael Crabtree, Mario Manningham, Ted Ginn and Kyle Williams.

He also said there was a three-way tie to be Alex Smith's backup. Harbaugh said that Colin Kaepernick would take the second-string snaps today behind Alex Smith but that the order could change - and change again and again - before the competition is settled.

"Certainly that order could change in the next six hours," he said. "But I have a feeling it's one of those things that could go up, it could go down, sideways. It's very fluid, and it's going to take some time to sort out - the preseason games - and to really analyze. I'm very excited to watch it unfold."

-- Matt Barrows

Aldon Smith said he's angry at himself after getting stabbed at a house party last month but that he's now 100 percent healed and ready to roll with the rest of the starters at today's first training camp practice.

"I just feel after the incidents that happened and the expectations that were set for me, I feel like I let the fans - and everybody that looked at me like that - down," Smith, 22, said of the June 30 incident. " ... It's helped my focus out. I'm really focused more than ever, not to say that I wasn't in the beginning. But I'm focused more than ever and I'm ready to go."

Sheriff's deputies responding to gunshots at Smith's residence found hundreds of party goers spilling out of the house along with two gunshot victims and Smith, who was suffering from two stab wounds. Smith said he needed staples to close the wounds but that he didn't need any extensive treatment. "I'm young so I healed up pretty quick," he said.

The Santa Clara sheriff's department does not have any suspects in the case.

That incident followed a January DUI arrest in Miami Beach in which Smith was observed swerving in and out of traffic before being pulled over at 4:33 a.m. Breathalyzer tests put Smith's blood-alcohol level at .194 and .176. The legal limit in Florida is .08.

According to the Miami-Dade Office of the State Attorney, Smith qualified for a program to reduce the charges to reckless driving. Among the qualifications for the program are completion of a DUI school, 60 hours of community service, completion of a session of the victim impact panel, interlocking his vehicle for three months and paying $500 to a victim services/DUI enforcement fund.

Jim Harbaugh said the 49ers have dealt with Smith internally but would not offer any details. "I talked to Aldon, and that conversation is private," he said. "Aldon doesn't need to re-read the same exact thing I told him quoted in the newspaper."

Said Smith: "Being my age, you've just got to be aware of everything around you. You've got to make better decisions and surround myself with good people. ... You definitely think about what happened and how you want to be perceived. And that's how you want your career to go."

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers rescued this blog entry in the 11th hour. By signing veteran guard Leonard Davis on the day the team reported for training camp, the 49ers created perhaps the only training camp battle for a starting position, one that likely will pit Davis against Alex Boone at right guard. (I say "likely" because we still don't know exactly where Davis will play; today's initial practice will provide a better idea.)

Right guard: You still have to like Boone's chances of winning this spot. After all, Davis has been healthy since May at the latest, according to Davis, and the 49ers could have signed him at any point during spring drills. What his signing provides is A.) someone to push Boone, a prototypical tackle who has never set foot in a game at guard and B.) someone with experience on the offensive line. Before Davis was added, the only offensive line backup with any sort of NFL playing experience was Daniel Kilgore. He played one snap last year.

Backup quarterback: This competition is between The Freak (Colin Kaepernick), Mr. Smooth (Josh Johnson) and The Gym Rat (Scott Tolzien). Kaepernick has by far the biggest upside of this group. The question is how quickly and efficiently he can he harness all the power at his disposal. This competition at least will make exhibition games - often unwatchable - required viewing from start to finish.

Outside linebacker: The first three spots appear set with Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks and Parys Haralson. The fourth spot may come down to seventh-round pick Cam Johnson or journeyman Eric Bakhtiari. Johnson has the bigger upside. But Bakhtiari looked solid during spring drills and he excels in the area in which a No. 4 OLB must - special teams. It could be that the 49ers hold onto Johnson via the practice squad; Bakhtiari is not eligible.

Leonard Davis is a big-bodied offensive lineman with 12 years of experience who likes run blocking above all else. The 49ers are a run-oriented offense that was mostly complete but that perhaps needed someone to add competition at right guard.

Those two dynamics finally converged Thursday when the 49ers signed Davis, 33, to a one-year deal. While Davis -- listed at 6-6, 355 pounds -- said he was most comfortable at left guard, he noted he's had success on the right side, too, and that's where the 49ers are likely to play him.

Alex Boone has been the de facto right guard throughout the spring drills. But his previous experience has been as a tackle, and he had little competition for the role heading into training camp. Fourth-round pick Joe Looney likely will play that position, too, but he has not yet returned from a foot injury.

Before he could join the team, however, Davis had to pass a physical and show the 49ers that he was in good enough shape to take part in training camp. They told Davis to run a certain number 40-yard dashes, which was less than what the rest of the linemen were doing during the conditioning test. Davis did the required number, but felt so good he decided to keep going.

The 49ers, who hosted veteran guard Leonard Davis back in March, announced today that they signed the 6-6, 375 pounder to a one-year deal. The 49ers made room for Davis by releasing undrafted rookie David Gonzales of Washington State. Davis had surgery on his foot during the offseason, and he presumably has recovered from that procedure.

Davis, 33, is a three-time Pro Bowler, has the size the 49ers like along the offensive line, but he is reaching the end of his career and did not play a snap during the 2011 season. The 49ers are set at left guard with Mike Iupati. Alex Boone has stepped into the starting lineup at right guard, and the 49ers may be looking for someone to provide competition there.

The 49ers drafted a guard, Joe Looney, in the fourth round. Looney, however, still is recovering from a foot injury and will not be available at the start of training camp.

Davis originally was a first round draft pick (2nd overall) by the Arizona Cardinals in 2001. He has started all 155 games in which he has appeared, was named Second-Team All-Pro in 2007 and is a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2007-09). After spending six seasons with the Cardinals (2001-06), Davis was signed by the Dallas Cowboys in 2007, and he played there through 2010. Davis spent the the 2011 season with the Lions.
-- Matt Barrows

And then there were none.

The 49ers this morning announced that safety Dashon Goldson, the only player who did not show up for spring practices, signed his one-year franchise tender and has reported for training camp. Every 49er is believed to have reported for training camp this morning.

Goldson has been looking for a multi-year deal for two seasons, but instead will play this year under a one-year deal worth $6.2 million. Goldson is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, at which time the back and forth over a new deal promises to begin again.

Though Goldson has not been at 49ers headquarters this spring, he has been keeping in shape. He's worked out both in his native Los Angeles area and tried out Pete Bommarito's gym in Miami, a regular spot for South Florida 49ers like Frank Gore and Ricky Jean Francois.

He also has moved his family to the Bay Area, an indication that he wants to remain with the 49ers.

Goldson's on-time arrival makes sense for him. He'll be looking to shop himself on the open market next year and needs to have another strong year to do so effectively. He set a career high with six interceptions last year and went to his first Pro Bowl.

It also helps the 49ers, who face the five most prolific quarterbacks from 2011 this season, beginning with Week 1 opponent, Green Bay's Aaron Rogers. While the 49ers' rushing defense dominated opponents last year and finished first in the league, the passing defense finished 16th overall.

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Off to a good start: Every 49er is believed to have reported for training camp this morning. Some of the players who won't take part in Friday's first practice are guard Joe Looney (foot), outside linebacker Darius Fleming (knee) and running back Jewel Hampton (unknown).

The team's veterans are taking their physicals today. Thus, it's possible that some could be held out of practice. The players injured in the spring -- Ted Ginn, Delanie Walker and Cam Johnson -- already have been practicing this week.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers veteran players don't have to report for training camp until Thursday, but one prominent member was in town a day early. While media members were waiting to talk to some of the rookies who are practicing this week, Randy Moss strolled into the locker room with a black roller suitcase in one hand and a balance ball - for core exercises - in the other.

Jim Harbaugh has given Moss high marks so far, not only for his prowess on the field during spring drills but also for the example he's set for the team's younger wideouts who practically revere him. Moss has taken part in every practice since arriving April 30, and he has been a front-row participant in every team meeting. He's brought the other receivers -- notably Michael Crabtree -- to the head of the class with him.

The 49ers are counting on Moss to pump life into what was a ho hum passing attack last year. The hope is that Moss will stretch defenses like he did in the early part of his career, thereby creating more room underneath for receivers like Crabtree and running backs like Frank Gore.

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Fourth-round pick Joe Looney said he doesn't know when he'll be permitted to join training camp practices, but he appears to be close. Looney, who suffered a foot injury in January, has been running for months. After Wednesday's practice, Looney spent time firing out of a three-point stance.

Two years ago, Jim Harbaugh was shown a plot of land the Catholic church had recently purchased in the city of Piura, Peru. Harbaugh saw a small stream, some rocks and scrub and a lot of dirt. "It looked like a piece of wasteland that nobody wanted, basically," he said.

When he returned in June, there was a K-11 school on the plot with 690 children - all of them neatly dressed in school uniforms - filling every desk. "It was beautiful," he said.

Harbaugh has a reputation for quick turnarounds as far as rebuilding downtrodden programs at the University of San Diego, Stanford and the 49ers. The project he works on each summer, however, promises to last a lifetime.

Harbaugh first visited Piura in 2009 after hearing a friend describe his own experience with the Most Blessed Sacrament Parrish there. The 49ers coach has been going back ever since, and he even missed a rookie minicamp -- gasp-worthy when it comes to control-freak NFL coaches -- to go this year. He used the word "transformational" three times in a recent interview in describing the effect of the visits.

Asked how he's been transformed, Harbaugh hesitated a bit. "In some ways, it's a little uncomfortable talking about it," he said. "The scripture says, 'Don't let your left hand know what your right hand's doing,' you know? On the other hand, it's so good. It's not only been a great experience for me but my friends that I want to tell people about it. I feel like I should share this. I'm lucky to participate and be surrounded by so much good."

The 49er with the strongest arm is concentrating on his feet.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick today said that footwork is his biggest focus as the 49ers prepare to open training camp later this week. Kaepernick is at the center of one of the more intriguing camp battles on the largely settled 49ers roster as he tries to fend off Josh Johnson and Scott Tolzien to be the chief backup to Alex Smith.

"I just want to keep working on my feet, getting my feet (together) quicker, getting through reads quicker," Kaepernick said. "Just taking pressure off the offensive line and getting the ball out of my hands."

While most veterans don't report until Thursday, the 49ers quarterbacks, rookies and a few other selected veterans are permitted to get a head start this week. All four of the quarterbacks have reported, and they've been throwing to rookie wideouts A.J. Jenkins, Chris Owusu, Nathan Palmer and Brian Tyms.

It's usually bad news when a rookie lands on a preseason injury list. Fifth-round pick Darius Fleming, for instance, tore his ACL 10 minutes into the 49ers' first rookie minicamp in May, and after being placed on the physically unable to perform list Monday he is unlikely to play this season.

For Jewel Hampton, however, the situation may have a silver lining. The undrafted running back has plenty of potential, but in joining the 49ers in April, he went to a team with an already loaded backfield. The players currently at the position and probably ahead of Hampton on the depth chart: Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James, Brandon Jacobs, Anthony Dixon and Rock Cartwright.

Hampton was placed on the non-football injury list Monday along with fourth-round draft pick Joe Looney. Both players can be taken off the list at any point, and it appears as if Looney is nearing the end of his rehabilitation from a Lisfranc (foot) injury. If the players remain on the list at the start of the season, they can't play for the first half of the season and run the risk of being shelved for good in 2012.

That may not be such a bad scenario for Hampton, who would have had a tough time making the squad even if he were healthy.

It's unknown what preexisting injury prompted the 49ers to put him on the injury list. He tore both his right and left ACLs while at Iowa, and he did not run at the scouting combine in February because of an ankle injury. (Although he did run at his pro day in March, finishing the 40-yard dash in 4.47 seconds).

That he received an invitation to the combine speaks to his potential. The 5-8, 218-pound rusher was seen as the heir to Shonn Greene at Iowa before his knee injuries. After transferring to Southern Illinois, he ran for 1,121 yards and a boggling 17 touchdowns last season. His size and running style have drawn comparisons to Baltimore's Ray Rice, and he and receiver Chris Owusu were the 49ers' top hauls when it came to undrafted free agents.

Meanwhile, the 49ers' crowded backfield promises to thin out over time. Jacobs, for instance, is 30 and he signed a one-year deal with San Francisco. Gore turns 30 next season and Cartwright is 32. That is, patience may pay off for Hampton.

-- Matt Barrows

The 49ers filled their only roster opening today by signing safety Darcel McBath, a second-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2009. McBath fizzled in Denver, and he was cut by the Jacksonville Jaguars in April. The 49ers now are at the 90-player limit for training camp. The 49ers list McBath as a cornerback.

McBath (6-1, 200) joins a safety group that is waiting for one of its starters, Dashon Goldson, to sign the franchise tender offered him in February. Last week, a deadline passed for Goldson to sign a multi-year deal with the team. Now his only options are to sign the one-year tender - worth $6.2 million - or not play at all this year. Goldson seemed resigned to playing under the one-year deal during a recent interview.

The other safeties on the 49ers' roster include Donte Whitner, C.J. Spillman, sixth-round pick Trenton Robinson, Mark LeGree, Cory Nelms, Colin Jones and undrafted rookie Michael Thomas.

Looking for 49ers training-camp competitions? You have to go to the bottom of the roster to find it. All but one starting job -- right guard -- appeared wrapped up by the end of the spring. And even that guard spot may not be much of a competition considering that Alex Boone is a.) relentless about nailing down his first NFL starting job and b.) needs all the practice repetitions he can get after playing tackle most of his life.

There are indeed true competitions and there are players battling for their NFL lives. But those dramas mostly involve the last three or four spots on the team. Some of the August intrigue:

1. Who's No. 2? Jim Harbaugh was clear that Alex Smith not only is the No. 1 quarterback but that he's put distance between himself and No. 2. Right now the top backup is second-year player Colin Kaepernick, and the final pecking order probably will be: Smith, Kaepernick, Josh Johnson and Scott Tolzien.

But those last three spots aren't set in stone. By now, coaches know how their quarterbacks look in non-padded practices. The next step is evaluating them in live drills and, more important, in the four preseason games. The pressure is on strong-armed Kaepernick to prove he deserves that No. 2 spot.

2. Battle of the bulk. It's clear that Frank Gore won't have the workload he's had since becoming the featured running back in 2006. What's unclear is how those non-Gore carries will be divided this season.

**UPDATE** The 49ers ended up placing Fleming on PUP and Looney on the non-football injury list. Looney's injury occurred in January, before he was drafted by the 49ers. Undrafted rookie running back Jewel Hampton also was placed on this list.

Draft picks Joe Looney and Darius Fleming are expected to begin training camp on the physically unable to perform list, according to a league source. Looney, a fourth-round pick, suffered a foot injury during Senior Bowl week in January while Fleming, a fifth rounder, tore his ACL on the first day of a rookie minicamp in May.

Placing them on PUP does not save roster spots during training camp and the preseason. However, it would allow the 49ers to keep the players on PUP when the season begins, a move which would open roster spots.

That probably will not be the case with guard Looney, who is nearing the end of his rehabilitation from a Lisfranc injury. He could return in about two weeks. Outside linebacker Fleming, meanwhile, could be placed on injured reserve at some point, which would end his season and also create a roster spot.

It's unknown how the 49ers will proceed with another injured draft pick, outside linebacker Cam Johnson, who had a minor procedure -- believed to be on his knee --in June. His agent said last week that Johnson should be ready for the start of training camp. Rookies reported over the weekend and will practice this week. The full squad assembles Thursday and will have its first practice Friday.

Last season the 49ers received 2,451 snaps from their rookies. That's an impressive number in any season, but it's almost astounding when you consider there was no full offseason for these rookies to acclimate and that the 49ers were not a team in a rebuilding mode. Only two of them, fullback Bruce Miller and running back Kendall Hunter, started a game.

The team got significant contributions from five of its 2011 draft picks and from a couple of undrafted players, Demarcus Dobbs and Joe Hastings. Only two draft picks, receiver Ronald Johnson, who did not make the final roster, and seventh-round offensive lineman Mike Person, did not play at all. The team's draft class went a long way toward general manager Trent Baalke earning executive-of-the-year honors.

This year's rookie class is unlikely to even approach last year's snap count.

One draft pick, Darius Fleming, has a torn ACL. Another, Joe Looney, still is recovering from a serious foot injury suffered in January. First-round pick A.J. Jenkins does not seem ready to make an impact this year while sixth rounder Jason Slowey is learning a new position, center, and is behind Jonathan Goodwin and Daniel Kilgore at the position.

The three players who could see the most snaps are running back LaMichael James, safety Trenton Robinson and outside linebacker Cam Johnson. The last two are fighting for the fourth spot at their respective positions, and as such their biggest roles figure to be on special teams.

Over the next few days, I'm going to write about some of the more intriguing storylines as the 49ers head into training camp. (First full practice: July 27).

In my humble opinion, the most interesting bit of news in this last month of non news was Rich Gannon's interview on Sirius XM NFL radio July 9. Here's the clip.

Gannon said that he had spoken recently with Jim Harbaugh, who told Gannon that Randy Moss was currently the best receiver on the team. Not only that, Harbaugh told Gannon, Moss had been the perfect pupil, showing up at every practice since April 30 and sitting in the front row of team meetings.

The younger 49ers, especially the wide receivers, revere Moss and they follow him around like puppies. For instance, Michael Crabtree, who had been a back-of-the-meeting-room guy, is now sitting next to Moss as if he's the teacher's pet, according to Gannon.

"Randy is trying to be a leader. He's trying to set a good example for these young players," Gannon said. "You know, I think it gets back to what the expectations are. Jim Harbaugh -- not a ton of rules, but (he has) expectations for a pro like Randy: 'I'm here to help you. We can get you back to playing like you did a couple years ago. You can be a huge addition for our offense. You can help us in the vertical passing game. But here's what you have to do.' .... So far Randy Moss has bought in."

Remember last month when defensive end Justin Smith was talking about windows of opportunity and how quickly they can close? Well, in looking at the 49ers contract situation, it seems as if the team has a very good window of opportunity this year and next.

It's after the 2013 season that things will start to get interesting as several key 49ers -- including Smith -- are scheduled to have their current contracts run out. Dashon Goldson is almost certain to sign a franchise tender this month or next, which makes him one of the more critical players in his contract year this season. Delanie Walker, Isaac Sopoaga and Randy Moss, who commands the most intriguing storylines this summer (more on that later this week), also are playing on one-year deals.

Signed through 2012:
CB Tramaine Brock
RB Rock Cartwright
WR Ted Ginn
FS Dashon Goldson*
ILB Tavares Gooden
ILB Larry Grant
RB Brandon Jacobs
NT Ricky Jean Francois
WR Randy Moss*
NT Isaac Sopoaga*
TE Delanie Walker

Signed through 2013:
K David Akers
ILB NaVorro Bowman*
CB Tarell Brown*
TE Nate Byham
CB Perrish Cox
RB Anthony Dixon
C Jonathan Goodwin*
OLB Parys Haralson
WR Mario Manningham
DE Justin Smith*
DE Will Tukuafu
SS Donte Whitner*
WR Kyle Williams
DT Demarcus Dobbs (restricted free agent)
QB Scott Tolzien (RFA)
DT Ian Williams (RFA

* projected 2012 starter

-- Matt Barrows

***Updated*** The 1 p.m. deadline came and went. That means that Dashon Goldson will not be able to sign a long-term deal with the 49ers until after the season when the negotiation dance starts anew.

Frustrated that Dashon Goldson and the 49ers can't agree on a long-term deal? Blame Eric Weddle and Antrel Rolle. The two safeties signed deals in the last two years that make them among the highest-paid safeties in the league. Other safeties, such as Goldson, have looked at those deals and said, 'I'm at least as good as that guy.'

At 1 p.m. today, the deadline will pass on signing Goldson to a long-term deal. Instead, he'll be limited to the franchise number for safeties --$6.212 million - or he won't play at all in 2012. Goldson seemed resigned to playing under the franchise tag number during an interview with Sirius XM NFL radio last week. Veterans report to training camp on July 26.

Goldson probably is right in thinking he deserves as much as Weddle and Rolle, who signed five-year, $37 million and a five-year, $40 million contracts respectively.

Goldson is unique. He's taller, more physical and more aggressive than most free safeties, who are becoming more and more like glorified cornerbacks in a league which emphasizes the the passing game a little more each year.

Goldson is smart, popular among teammates, and he's coming off the best season of his career, one in which he had six interceptions during the regular season and one during the playoffs.

The 49ers were one of 20 or so teams on hand for former Baylor wide receiver Josh Gordon's workout in Houston Tuesday, according to a league source on hand for the event. Gordon is the prize catch of the supplemental draft, which will take place Thursday.

Gordon hasn't played since 2010. He was suspended by Baylor before the 2011 season after -- according to Gordon in an interview with the Houston Chronicle -- testing positive for marijuana. He transferred to Utah but decided to enter the supplemental draft instead of playing for the Utes.

He's the most intriguing of the group of players eligible for the supplemental draft because of his size - 6-3, 224 pounds - and his speed. He reportedly ran in the 4.5-second range at the Houston workout, not bad for someone that big and for someone who hasn't been training for months at sprinting.

Gordon likely is interesting to the 49ers because they don't have anyone with that kind of size at the position.

Still, it's difficult to see them making a move after they spent the offseason bolstering their wide receiving corps. They signed Mario Manningham (two years) and Randy Moss (one year) to free-agent deals. They also used their first-round draft pick on a receiver, A.J. Jenkins, and signed several other talented players who went undrafted, most notably Stanford's Chris Owusu.

There appear to be other, more-receiver-needy teams - Cleveland and Miami, to name two -- who are circling Gordon and who are likely willing to use a higher draft pick to obtain him. The team that drafts him will lose their corresponding pick in the April 2013 draft. Gordon could go in the third or fourth round, according to draft prognostications.

-- Matt Barrows

Alex Smith will be one of several NFL quarterbacks competing in the American Century Championship golf event in Tahoe later this month. And before you ask the question, the answer's no - Jim Harbaugh will not serve as his caddy.

Smith, of course, caddied for his coach when Harbaugh played at the AT&T Pro Am at Pebble Beach in February. That scenario only reinforced the notion that re-signing Smith, who at the time was scheduled for free agency, was a mere formality for Harbaugh and the 49ers.

It turned out to be anything but. The 49ers and Smith were slow to agree to a contract deal. And before they did, the 49ers pursued Peyton Manning, who eventually chose to sign with the Broncos. Smith today reiterated that there were no hard feelings between him and Harbaugh. But he did allow that the episode was "a little awkward" for a week or so and will serve as motivation.

"Certainly there are a lot of forms of motivation," said Smith, who eventually signed a three-year deal with the 49ers. "I guess that's there a little bit as far as motivation." Smith said he didn't ask Harbaugh, who is back from a recent home-building mission in Peru, to caddy for him. Harbaugh and his staff will be preparing for training camp at the time.

During the golf tournament, Smith will be reunited with college coach Urban Meyer, who takes over at Ohio State this year. Asked about the similarities between Meyer and Harbaugh, Smith cited the intensity of practices at Utah and with the 49ers as well as the coaches' selflessness.

"The team-first mentality is constantly being preached," Smith said. "And in both circumstances, I feel that everybody really bought in." Here's a Q&A I did with Meyer back in October.

The July 17-22 golf tournament will be televised live nationally (NBC) on the final two days of the event. Smith will have plenty of company among NFL quarterbacks. Carson Palmer, Tony Romo and his Week 1 rival, Aaron Rodgers, also will take part.

The 49ers open minicamp later that week on the 26th. Smith and the other quarterbacks, however, are expected to join the rookies earlier in the week.

-- Matt Barrows

The Santa Clara County detectives want to talk to anyone who attended the weekend party that ended with two people being shot and 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith getting stabbed.

Smith was treated and released after suffering multiple wounds in the melee. The 49ers on Saturday said that he was "recovering comfortably" from his injuries. The two other victims, both men, suffered gunshot wounds. One has been released from the hospital, the other is expected to be released shortly, according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza of the sheriff's office.

Cardoza said that more than a hundred people were filing out of the remote home in the hills east of San Jose when deputies arrived after 2 a.m. Saturday morning. There were so many people that the sheriff's office sought backup from San Jose police and the California Highway Patrol.

The party goers were interviewed at the time but no one revealed what happened. There are no suspects at this time. Cardoza asked anyone with information to call the sheriff's office at 408-808-4500 or the anonymous tip line at 408-808-4431. Tips also can be left anonymously at tips@sheriff.scccgov.org

-- Matt Barrows

I've long said (for at least a month and a half) that one of the overlooked consequences of the 49ers' overtime loss in the NFC Championship is it stole a little something from the previous game, the 36-32 win over the Saints. Five lead changes. More than 400 yards of offense for both teams. A last-second touchdown pass to Vernon Davis -- it's easily the best game I've covered in nine seasons.

Apparently I'm not alone in that opinion. The 49ers-Saints is one of three games nominated for an ESPY award this year. The others are Missouri at Kansas in college basketball and Game 6 of the Rangers-Cardinals World Series. You can vote here.

If you're teetering on your vote - and I'm guessing you're not -- it might be worth reviewing this often-watched YouTube video (above), to which I tip my hat. Four stars. Now all the game needs is an awesome nickname. Winning entry gets a Bee t-shirt. Has to beat my nominee, "Game of Throws" ...

-- Matt Barrows

Yes, I'm aware that Drew Brees doesn't play for the San Francisco 49ers. But I thought the following Q&A was well worth posting on this 49ers blog, not only for what Brees says about counterpart Alex Smith but also for what he says about overcoming the greatest obstacle of his professional career. That is, there are bigger, life lessons that transcend team allegiance.

And, yes, I realize I'm coming off like a smitten schoolgirl. But when a reporter finds someone who actually pauses after a question and thinks about his answers in the say-nothing-at-all-costs NFL, well ... sigh ... I heart DB.

The following interview was done for a story about throwing guru Tom House, a long-time confidant of Brees' who recently began working with Smith. The story ran in Saturday's Bee.

Q: When did you first meet Tom House?

DB: January if 2004. And I was coming off a really tough 2003 season - high expectations for our team, we had more talent than we ever had in San Diego, it was my third year, second year as the starter. And I was really looking for myself to make that jump. And it was just an all-around disappointing season. Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. We went 4-12. Going into that offseason, I'd been told the team was going to go out and either draft a guy with a high draft pick or go out and find a free agent to basically come in and take my job. And that was the year they got Phillip Rivers. So I knew that was going to happen. ... I needed an edge. I needed to find whatever edge possible. So I wanted to take a look at everything I was doing from a training standpoint to a dietary standpoint, my sleep habits, just my mental preparation. Every part of my game, every part of what would prepare me to be the best quarterback I could be, I wanted to take a really hard look at.