49ers practice recap: Secondary limits Garoppolo, Hurd gets into two scuffles
The 49ers’ second practice of training camp Sunday decidedly favored the defense in full team drills. Jimmy Garoppolo struggled to complete passes while the secondary was physical with coach Kyle Shanahan’s young receivers.
Let’s break down what we saw from the sideline in Santa Clara:
Sunday’s standouts
There was an intriguing sequence during seven-on-seven drills involving cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon, who’s spending the summer trying to hold off veteran newcomer Jason Verrett for a starting job opposite Richard Sherman. Garoppolo targeted second-year wideout Dante Pettis on a quick route to his left. Pettis beat Witherspoon to make the catch and ran past him down the sideline for a sizable gain.
On Garoppolo’s next snap, he looked for Pettis again, this time running a slant, and Witherspoon broke on the pass quickly, out-muscled Pettis and wrestled away an interception, much to the thrill of his defensive teammates, who celebrated with him in the opposite end zone.
Pettis said Garoppolo had words for him following the play.
“It was really just like, don’t let that happen. That’s on me,” Pettis said. “That’s something that I just have to get in my head. He’s trusting me that this ball is not going to go to the other team no matter what. So he just kind of told me that, like look, I trust you and you just gotta like break that up or something.”
Witherspoon did well in his match-ups with Pettis, also breaking up a pass during the second portion of practice in 11-on-11 drills. Sherman made one of his best plays over the past two days when he broke up a Garoppolo pass intended for receiver Jordan Matthews on a crossing route, similar to the play Matthews turned into a big gain Saturday.
A few snaps later, Garoppolo was looking for Matthews on a short route to his right. Like Witherspoon on his interception, Sherman beat Matthews to the spot. Only Garoppolo didn’t throw it, instead hesitating before trying to find Trent Taylor on an out-breaking route toward the sideline. The pass was incomplete, thanks largely to Sherman taking away Garoppolo’s first read and forcing him to double take.
The secondary has been one of San Francisco’s most criticized groups throughout the offseason. Yet the team decided against making significant investments.
Shanahan was asked if he’s noticing players like Sherman and Witherspoon taking that outside perception personally.
“If you don’t have a chip on your shoulder, whether you’re the worst in the league or the best in the league,” Shanahan said, “that means you’re on your way out of the league.”
Key moment
Receiver Jalen Hurd, a third-round draft pick in April, hasn’t exactly endeared himself to his defensive teammates during the first two days of camp. The former running back doesn’t mind contact and has made a name for himself as a physical blocker, and perhaps a dirty one in the eyes of a few defenders.
So it was no surprise Hurd got into two scuffles Sunday. The first came against veteran defensive back Dontae Johnson after a running play. They got locked up when the play was over, and Hurd was seen throwing punches before the two were quickly broken up.
A few plays later, Hurd got into it with another defensive player (it was tough to discern which one), and the two went to the ground, where they were quickly surrounded by teammates.
“I saw the people on top of each other, so I don’t have a strong opinion yet on what led to it, but I don’t like guys fighting at practice. I don’t like punches thrown,” Shanahan said. “I like guys pissing each other off. I like guys competing, but I think real toughness is controlling that because you’re going to get penalties in the game and things like that. So fighting is something I don’t want at practice. I’d like guys to get as close as possible to fighting because that is the mentality of football, but that’s got to be a controlled aggression. If you can’t control that, it’s your liability.”
The physicality of practice should ramp up Monday. The pads will be on for the first time, which could lead to more kerfuffles.
Garoppolo watch
Garoppolo, unofficially, completed 5 of 12 passes during full-team drills, with many for short gains. The 49ers’ talented defensive line collapsed the pocket around Garoppolo, who appeared to be most comfortable throwing on play-action plays when he was able to move outside and look downfield.
One of Garoppolo’s best passes went to Marquise Goodwin, who used his speed to sell a deep route with Sherman in coverage. Goodwin stopped and broke outside, leaving him wide open along the sideline, where Garoppolo found him. Garoppolo also hit Pettis against Sherman to convert a third down near the right sideline.
Slot receiver Trent Taylor ran a slant route to beat K’Waun Williams for a big gain but appeared to tweak his lower leg while running after the catch. Taylor was back on the field a few snaps later.
Coach’s thoughts
Shanahan on Matthews, who appears to have a good chance to make the 53-man roster after bouncing from Buffalo to New England and back to Philadelphia the past two seasons:
“He’s been just what we expected. Jordan’s a very good receiver with some size and some speed. I didn’t know him personally, but having guys that did know him before he got here, guys like Miles (Austin) who was with him in Philly, just the type of pro he is, how smart he is, the way he goes to work. We wanted to get a veteran in here. We wanted to get a guy preferably with more size if we found one we liked. We wanted a smart guy who could help be an example, and he’s been exactly that. He’s pushing these guys. I mean, he’s going to be in the mix.”
Injury update
Guard Joshua Garnett dislocated a finger on his right hand Saturday and did it again Sunday. He underwent treatment as Shanahan addressed the media, and the prognosis is unknown.
Garnett was working primarily with the second and first team at right guard, where the 49ers have rotated players due to the injury to center Weston Richburg, which pushed Mike Person, last year’s starter at right guard, to get reps at center.
This story was originally published July 28, 2019 at 4:02 PM.