The San Francisco 49ers have completed the first week of training camp, and there has been plenty to like and plenty to be concerned about. The team has dealt with its share of injuries, including the season-ending setback to Ricky Pearsall. But there have also been several players who have made strong early impressions.
Here are my arrows up and arrows down after the first week of 49ers training camp.
Arrow Up
Offense
Deebo Samuel
It's good to see Samuel back in the Bay Area and looking like himself again. Samuel appears to be in great shape, and his return gives the 49ers another dynamic weapon for Brock Purdy and the offense. After everything that has happened with the wide receiver room early in camp, having Samuel back and looking good is obviously a major positive.
Mike Evans
Evans looks every bit like the future Hall of Famer the 49ers hoped he was when they signed him. The veteran receiver has consistently stood out throughout the opening week, showing off his size, physicality, and ability to make plays. The early chemistry between Evans and Purdy has also been encouraging. The 49ers haven't had a receiver quite like Evans in this offense, and it's becoming increasingly clear how much of a difference his presence could make.
De'Zhaun Stribling
The rookie wide receiver has been one of the biggest surprises of the first week. Stribling was putting together an impressive camp before missing Saturday's practice with what the team described as hamstring tightness. The good news is that it doesn't appear to be considered a serious injury. With Pearsall now expected to miss the season and Christian Kirk still sidelined, Stribling has an opportunity to make a major impression. And so far, he's doing exactly that.
Christian McCaffrey
McCaffrey looks noticeably faster than he did a year ago. The 49ers star running back appears to be moving extremely well and had a very good first week of practice. If he can stay healthy, the 49ers offense could be extremely difficult to defend.
Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing
Both young receivers are taking advantage of their opportunities. With the injuries and absences at the position, Watkins and Cowing have been given chances to show what they can do. Neither player is guaranteed a major role, but both have done enough early in camp to keep themselves in the conversation.
Watkins, in particular, has continued to show why the 49ers were excited about adding him to the roster. And don't count out Cowing. Could both of them make the initial 53-man roster? I think it's possible.
Connor Colby
The battle for the starting left guard position is one of the more interesting competitions in camp, and Colby has put himself in a good position. He has looked solid throughout the opening week and appears to be making a legitimate push for the job. Brad Graham posted on X, "49ers OL Connor Colby was one of the best players on the field today. After being critical of him yesterday, he came out and balled — great in blitz pickup, passing off stunts, in pass protection and the run game. Had one rep vs Osa [Odighizuwa] where he completely stopped him in his tracks."
Graham said he made it a point to watch Colby a lot on Saturday, and he played very well. It's still early, but the second-year offensive lineman is doing exactly what he needs to do to put himself in position to win the starting role.
Kyle Shanahan
It's also encouraging to see Shanahan making progress. The 49ers head coach has been seen at practice more as he continues to recover from his concussion and injuries suffered in a car accident. He even spoke to the team and led a meeting on Saturday.
Obviously, football takes a back seat to Shanahan's health, but it's good to see the head coach making progress and gradually becoming more involved with the team. And let's not forget the mustache he's been growing.
Defense
Jack Jones
Jones has been all over the field. The veteran cornerback has consistently been around the football and has made plays throughout the first week. With the 49ers looking for consistency in the secondary, Jones has gotten off to an encouraging start.
Renardo Green
This may be the best camp Green has had since joining the 49ers. He's looked confident and aggressive and has been around the ball regularly. Green has quickly become one of the more intriguing young players in the secondary, and his continued development could be extremely important for the defense.
Osa Odighizuwa
Odighizuwa has been the real deal. Reportedly, he has been the best defensive lineman on the field during the first week of camp. The veteran defensive tackle has consistently shown up and looks to be a major addition to the 49ers' defensive front. The 49ers needed to improve their pass rush and interior defensive line play, and Odighizuwa looks like someone who could make a significant difference.
Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw
The 49ers have their linebacker duo back together, and it's showing. Warner and Greenlaw have been setting the tone and wreaking havoc throughout camp, especially since the pads came on. Their speed and intensity give the defense a different dimension, and it's easy to see why the 49ers are excited to have both players healthy and on the field.
Ji'Ayir Brown
Brown continues to make plays. He looks better than he has at any point during his young career, and that's a good sign for a player who could have an important role in the secondary. The safety competition is going to be one of the more interesting battles to watch as camp continues, but Brown has certainly helped himself during the opening week.
Arrow Down
Offense
Ricky Pearsall
This is easily the biggest negative from the first week. Pearsall has been placed on injured reserve due to the ongoing PCL issue in his knee that dates back to 2025. The injury is expected to require surgery, and Pearsall will miss the 2026 season. That's a brutal blow for a player who was expected to take on a much larger role in the 49ers' offense this season.
Jordan James
James suffered a rib fracture before pads were even on and is now sidelined. The rookie running back was expected to be a major part of the competition for the number two running back job behind McCaffrey. The injury opens the door for Kaelon Black, but it's still a disappointing setback for James.
Christian Kirk
Kirk has been out since the first practice with a calf strain. The 49ers brought Kirk in to provide experience and another reliable target for Purdy, but he hasn't been able to get on the field yet. The longer he remains sidelined, the more opportunities other receivers will have to make their case. Hopefully, this is a short-term issue, and Kirk can get back on the field soon.
Defense
C.J. West
West has been dealing with an injury that has kept him off the field recently. The defensive tackle was expected to compete for playing time along the defensive line, so any missed practice time is less than ideal, especially with the 49ers evaluating their depth up front.
Malik Mustapha
Mustapha's hamstring injury is particularly unfortunate because of the timing. He's in the middle of a competition for a starting safety position, and missing valuable practice time could hurt his chances. Mustapha has shown plenty of potential, but he needs to be on the field to continue making his case.
Romello Height
Height has had a strange start to camp. He's currently dealing with an elbow injury, suffered cramps that led to his being carted off the field, and has gone through multiple number changes. None of those things individually would necessarily be a major concern, but it has made for a difficult opening week for the rookie. The 49ers need to get him healthy and give him some consistency so they can see what he can do.
Mikail Kamara
Kamara left Saturday's practice with what appeared to be a knee injury. There's no word yet on the severity, but any knee injury is worth keeping an eye on, particularly for a young player trying to establish himself. I had high hopes for him, too.
Gracen Halton
Halton has been dealing with a knee bone bruise. That's not the kind of injury you want to see from a rookie trying to make an impression during his first training camp. Halton has plenty of time to get back on the field, but every missed practice is a missed opportunity for a young player fighting for a role on the defense.
There are plenty of positives to take away from the first week of 49ers training camp. But the injuries are beginning to pile up. It's still early, though, and there's a lot of football left to play before the regular season begins.
After one week of training camp, the arrow is pointing up for several players. And that's exactly what you want to see at this point in training camp.
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