The San Francisco 49ers held their 10th practice of training camp Monday, and while it was a relatively light session, there was plenty to take away from the day. The biggest news came before practice even got underway, with the 49ers announcing the signing of offensive lineman Doug Kramer Jr. and the release of offensive lineman Nick Zakelj.
Here are some of the other notable takeaways from training camp practice number 10.
No Nick Bosa, Christian McCaffrey sits
Nick Bosa was not on the field Monday as he continues to deal with soreness. Christian McCaffrey also sat out practice with what the team described as "tightness."
McCaffrey isn't the only running back dealing with an injury. Jordan James has a rib issue, Kaelon Black is dealing with an adductor injury, Isaac Guerendo has a pec injury, and Kyle Juszczyk is dealing with a finger issue. That leaves Patrick Taylor Jr., Khalil Herbert, and Sincere McCormick as the healthy backs currently getting the work.
Some good news on the injury front is that Carver Willis has cleared the concussion protocol and returned to practice.
Mike Evans still not practicing
There is still no sign of Mike Evans participating in practice. Evans did, however, get some work in on a side field along with several other injured players.
Nick Wagoner noted that nearly all of the injured players did at least some level of work on the side, including Evans. Black and Keon White were also doing some work on the side for the first time since suffering their adductor injuries.
George Kittle was also working on a side field and appears to be getting closer to a return.
Purdy finds Stribling for a big one
Brock Purdy had one of his better practices of camp, connecting with several receivers for explosive plays. The biggest came when Purdy found rookie De'Zhaun Stribling for a 50-yard touchdown down the right sideline.
Purdy also connected with Demarcus Robinson on a couple of deep throws, including a beautiful completion down the left sideline. Deebo Samuel was another receiver who came up with an explosive play.
It's been an impressive stretch for Stribling, who has consistently been making plays throughout camp. The young receiver's work ethic has also drawn praise from receivers coach Leonard Hankerson.
More highlights
The offense had several other standout moments throughout practice. Jordan Watkins caught a touchdown from Mac Jones during the red-zone period, while Jack Jones continued his strong training camp by coming up with a leaping interception during team drills.
According to Cam Inman, the best plays of the day included pass breakups from Deommodore Lenoir, Jones and Ephesians Prysock, while Trenton Irwin, Watkins and Stribling each recorded touchdowns during 1-on-1 work.
In 11-on-11 work, Purdy's 50-yard touchdown to Stribling and his deep completion to Robinson were the biggest plays.
Stout makes another play, Warner lights up Bergen
CB Upton Stout continues to make his presence felt. Stout came up with an impressive interception during 1-on-1 work against Demarcus Robinson.
Fred Warner also provided one of the biggest hits of the day when he laid a big hit on rookie receiver Junior Bergen after Bergen caught a pass from Purdy over the middle. That one got the crowd fired up.
Left Guard competition remains open
Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak made it clear Monday that the competition at left guard is still very much up for grabs. Connor Colby and Robert Jones remain the two primary candidates battling for the starting job.
With the 49ers preparing for joint practices with the Tennessee Titans, this will be a position worth watching closely over the next few days.
Sigle adds some size
Marques Sigle has added some weight since last season. The safety told reporters Monday that he added approximately 8-10 pounds to better handle tight ends and take on blocks. Sigle and Ji'Ayir Brown have been the de facto starters for most of training camp, so his development will be interesting to watch as the preseason approaches.
Pauling gets a new number
Rookie receiver Will Pauling has a new number. He is now wearing number 84. It's a small detail, but after making some impressive plays during camp and earning praise for his work ethic, Pauling is another young receiver worth keeping an eye on.
Battles in the trenches
There were some good battles during the 1-on-1 pass-rush period. Colton McKivitz had a strong rep against Sam Okunayinonu and then battled Romello Height. McKivitz appeared to have Height stopped, but Height spun out of the block and managed to create some late pressure.
Enrique Cruz Jr. had a nice recovery against Ogbo Okoronkwo, although K.J. Henry later beat him cleanly. C.J. West had a good early rep against Jake Brendel, with the two later battling again.
Carver Willis took consecutive reps at center and guard. West beat him cleanly at center, but Willis responded with a strong rep at guard against Osa Odighizuwa. It appears Willis is more comfortable at guard at this point, which isn't surprising considering that's where he has spent most of his time.
Tight end Luke Farrell also got some work against defensive ends Titus Leo and Quinton Bell. Both defenders got the better of those reps, although Farrell put up a fight. Still, considering he was brought to the team for blocking purposes, the fact that he's struggling against players who may not make the roster is concerning.
Deebo gets some kick return work
Deebo Samuel was also spotted working on fielding kick returns at the beginning of practice. With the 49ers continuing to look for ways to utilize Samuel's versatility, it looks like kickoff returns may be one of the ways the 49ers use him again.
Joint practices are next
Monday's practice was relatively light, with plenty of team periods and competitive move-the-ball and red-zone work. That won't be the case for long. The Tennessee Titans arrive Tuesday for the first of two joint practices with the 49ers.
That's when things should get considerably more competitive, and with several position battles still unresolved, along with several young players fighting for roster spots, there should be plenty to watch.
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