49ers Blog and Q&A

The MVPs of this morning's practice, which was played under uncharacteristically gray skies? I'll give you two: Shaun Hill, who looked quite sharp during team drills, and Brandon Jones, who is making everyone forget about Michael Crabtree with yet another big catch downfield. It was Hill's turn to run the first-team offense today. Here's how he did in early set of team drills:

1. He hit Morgan along the sideline just if front of Dashon Goldson, but Morgan only was able to get one foot in bounds. Incomplete.
2. Jones got tripped up on a 12-yard crossing route, but still managed to hand onto the ball. Nice catch.
3. Hill scrambles to his right and is chased down by linebacker Ahmad Brooks, who has looked very good while taking over for Parys Haralson (hip).
4. Hill wiggles free of pressure and spots Delanie Walker downfield for a 28-yard gain.
5. Hill fires a pass along the right sideline to Vernon Davis in front of safety Reggie Smith. (second-team defense was in)

Second team drills:

1. Hand off to Frank Gore, who gets a nice block from David Baas.
2. Up-the-middle run by Gore.
3. Hill audibles and throws to the left side to Morgan in front of Dre Bly. Gain of 10 yards.
4. Nice play-action by Hill. He throws 35-yards downfield to Jones who crashes into cornerback Marcus Hudson but still comes down with the ball.
5. Run to the left by Glen Coffee
6. Hand off to Gore over left guard.

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The Nutcracker Suite was back in town today. The smaller guys - receivers, dbs, running backs - only spent a short amount of time at the drill, but the big uglies went at it for a while. Vernon Davis got the better of Manny Lawson early on, but each time the two met, Lawson seemed to get a little better and actually beat Davis in the end. Davis wanted to continue the battle, but Mike Singletary had to shoo him away to work with the tight ends. "Vernon is one of those guys - you've got to get him away from contact," Singletary said with a smile. "If you let him, he'll stay there all day."

Singletary took a particular interest in defensive end Kentwan Balmer, who first had a couple of encounters with Adam Snyder and then with Chilo Rachal. Balmer perhaps battled Snyder to a couple of draws, but he had a hard time with Rachal, one of the more powerful players on the team. With Justin Smith taking it easy in the early practice, Balmer had a chance to play with the first-team defense today. "He did ok," Singletary said. "He's young. You've got to keep working him."

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Add Patrick Willis to the list of nicked defenders. He had an "ankle strain," according to the team. It's not serious, but there is no telling when he'll return. Jeff Ulbrich took over Mike linebacker duties. Tarell Brown's toe injury continues to allow Dre Bly to work with the first-string defense. Moran Norris was back in action today after returning from a personal matter, although Michael Robinson still handled most of the fullback duties.

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During the pass-rush drills, tackle Alex Boone again looked good at times, though he was thoroughly beaten on one play by wily veteran Marques Harris, who got under Boone to the outside and was quickly past him. Harris mostly has been playing Sam outside linebacker behind Manny Lawson. Today he had a chance to play his more natural position, Will outside linebacker.

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Sometimes you can get an idea of where players stand as far as the final roster by the special teams lineup. Here is the No. 1 kick-return team: Ulbrich, Kory Sheets, Hudson, Brooks, Zak Keasey, Takeo Spikes, Balmer, Norris, Walker, Robinson and Allen Rossum.

-- Matt Barrows