49ers Blog and Q&A

Thursday's second practice featured another receiver going down - this one seems a bit more serious - successful two-minute drills by both quarterbacks and Mike Singletary sounding very un-alarmed at the prospect of Michael Crabtree sitting out the season.

First the injury. Following an incompletion in the end zone, Branddon Jones came away writhing in pain. Trainers tended to him, wrapped up his right shoulder and eventually took him into the training room. The initial diagnosis is shoulder sprain. He will be re-evaluated tomorrow. Josh Morgan, meanwhile, who suffered a neck strain earlier today, was a full-time participant in the afternoon practice.

As for Crabtree, here's what Singletary had to say about today's development. By the way, if Crabtree indeed sat out the whole season and re-entered the 2010 draft, the 49ers would not be compensated by the league. They would, however, control his rights up until draft day, which would limit Crabtree's pre-draft exposure. Here's Singletary:

"It's just one of those things ... as I said before, there's really nothing new on this side. Anything that I said since the very beginning, I am really, really ... I am very excited about him as a football player. Very excited about what he will bring to our team. And when he gets here, I'll be very excited to have him. But the business side of it right now - his agent, our negotiators - they've got to work it out."

Now the two-minute drill. Both quarterbacks didn't look all that sharp in the team situations leading up to the two-minute. Smith was 4-11. Hill was 5-9, including what would have been an interception in the end zone ... if safety Mark Roman hadn't dropped the ball. But both looked good in the two-minute situation. Both started at his own 40-yard line with 1:47 remaining and one time out.

Smith worked with the first-team offense against the first-team defense. His receivers were Isaac Bruce, Josh Morgan and Micheal Spurlock (slot). His running back was Frank Gore.

• 1st & 10, own 40. Smith to Vernon Davis for five yards.


• 2nd & 5, own 45. Smith to Bruce to the opponent's 44-yard line.


• 1st & 10, opp 44. Smith completes pass along the sideline to Bruce, but coaches rule that Smith is sacked. Loss of 10.


• 2nd & 20, own 46. Swing pass to Bruce, gain of 10.


• 3rd & 10, opp 44. Nice pass to Morgan in traffic, gain of 12.


• 1st & 10, opp 32. Pass to Morgan incomplete.


• 2nd & 10, opp 32. (26.9 seconds remaining) Pass to Davis. Off-side on Ahmad Brooks stops the clock.


• 2nd & 5, 32. (22.2) Nice catch and run to Gore at the 5-yard line.


• 1st & G, 5, (14.7) Pass to Spurlock goes through the receiver's hands. Singletary not happy.


• 2nd & G, 5, (11.2) Pass to Davis over the middle. Touchdown. BIG spike by Davis.

Hill, meanwhile, worked with the second team offense. His receivers were Arnaz Battle, Jason Hill and Dominique Zeigler. His running back was Glen Coffee.

• 1st & 10, 40. Draw to Coffee. Gain of 1.


• 2nd & 9, 41. Outlet to Coffee, but coaches rule that Hill was sacked.


• 3rd and long (?). Long pass to tight end J.J. Finley to the opp. 47.


• 1st & 10, 47. Nice pass to Zeigler to the 34.


• 1st & 10, 34. Pass to Battle, caught at the 21.


• 1st & 10, 21. Pass to Coffee incomplete, but off-sides on the defense.


• 1st & 5, 16. Pass to Finley on the right side to the 5.


• 1st & G, 5 (17.2 seconds) Pass to Zeigler just inside the goal line for a touchdown.

-- Matt Barrows