Thursday, July 31, 2025

Camp Battle: NB


 Kyle Shanahan on rookie NCB Upton Stout: "Not crowning him yet, but he's been doing a hell of a job."

37 comments:

  1. Another day at the office:
    * Saleh gave Stout a vote of confidence and Shanahan doubled down with some motivation for the rookie. It’s too early to crown anyone, but this allows the rookie to feel confident and still stay hungry. Development is the goal, and it will have its bumps and bruises.
    * Lenoir and Renardo Green’s injuries will give Stout ample opportunities to lock down the nickel spot. It wasn’t a perfect day for Stout, but the coaches' confidence is a big sign.
    * Dallis Flowers and Darrell Luter, Jr manned the outside corner spots, which is a change from Tre Brown and Flowers.
    * The 9ers coaches continue to challenge rookie DB Upton Stout, who went up against Russell Gage Jr. The veteran receiver beat the rookie DB in 1:1 work several times. (On the job training)!
    * Denver visits the 9ers for a joint practice on Thursday, Aug. 7th ahead of their preseason game. We should have a clearer understanding for who the starters will be after the joint practice.

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    Replies
    1. Upton Stout was one of Scooters guys too.

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    2. Pretty sure it was you that put me onto him during the season.

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  2. Like David Lombardi giving Trey Lance some props after Lance led the Chargers to the tune of 27 points. DL also likes the Harbaugh, Lance connection saying that Harbaugh may be able to help Lance unlike his previous head coaches.
    Time will tell.

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    Replies
    1. Think this is more about Lance getting 5 years of practice and training more than a JH specific thing. True JH can def help boost his confidence but really Lance should never have gone pro when he did with just 1 season of lower division college ball under his belt. He got paid, but his career could have gotten off so much better had he stayed in school another year or two, came out after his senior season at 22/23. Hard to gain that experience in the NFL as a backup when the starter is taking most of the reps.

      People want to throw it at Kyle but its pretty obvious that Trey was struggling to progress and Kyle had to use him to the best of his availability at that time. If he had been a 3rd round pick it would have been very different expectations from the Kyle.

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  3. If the 49ers injury issues continue at this rate they may have to cancel their scrimmage next week. That would be 2 consecutive years that they have had to cancel scrimmages.

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  4. LB Curtis Robinson has been activated from PUP. He’s in uniform and set to participate today.

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    Replies
    1. Razor
      Do you see Robinson competing for a LB spot, or a ST player only?

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    2. Should resume his Mike backup role and ST's contributor.

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  5. It's looking more and more like Dee Winters will be starting along side Warner. The question is, who will the third LB be?
    In watching Nick Martin's play in college it doesn't look much different than Winters' college play. But like Winters, Martin may have to wait a full season to receive substantial playing time. At the moment it doesn't look the third LB position has been penciled in as yet. So that's a battle that is still open.

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    Replies
    1. Everything I keep hearing is how good and active both Winters and Martin look. I would be pretty surprised if the 3 LBs in base weren't Warner, Winters, Martin.

      What I'm wondering is whether the 49ers will look to use base more often this year, given the spped of the LBs and depth issues at CB.

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    2. Scooter,
      The 49ers went into this draft looking for youth, skill, and speed. It's starting to look like they may have hit on all three. I expect to see more rookies contributing in 2025 then in years past. Whether the 49ers make the playoffs or not this season, they are putting the pieces together for a competitive team for years to come.

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    3. Yeah, the reports coming out of camp are very positive, so looking good so far!

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  6. AES
    * I agree that Winters will be the starting WLB. I don't see that much difference between winters and Martin's play, except Martin is a rookie and thinking, while Winters is experienced and reacting.
    Having said that, I see Martin gaining experience as the SLB.

    * The 9ers D's use of the SLB fluctuates, depending on the O's personnel and down-and-distance. Against run-heavy formations they'll use 3 LB's. Against a passing offenses, they'll use a NB and 2 LB's (MLB & WLB)
    IMO., the competition for WLB will come next season, when Martin
    will have the experience of playing SLB for a season.

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  7. The good news:
    DE Mykel Williams (ankle) is back practicing.

    The bad news:
    * WR Jauan Jennings missed his 3rd consecutive practice Thur. with a calf strain. Shanahan said Jennings aggravated the calf injury that bothered him in the offseason. There is no timetable for Jennings' return.
    * CB Lenoir has a hip irritation that kept him out a 2nd consecutive practice. He will miss the next 2 practices, too, Shanahan said.
    * Rookie RB Jordan James is dealing with a knee injury, and the team will re-evaluate him in a few days.

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    Replies
    1. Calf strains feel similar to hamstring injuries, take forever to get right and pop up quickly if you rush it. Keep him off the field for 2 weeks, need him there September, not August.

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  8. Been a few reports about how Alfred Collins is very much a work in progress as a pass rusher and has been struggling getting off blocks in camp. This shouldn't come as a surprise, that's what he was like in college.

    Main thing for me is will he clog the middle to stifle the run? If he does that and not much else, then while it may not be a great pick as high as he went, it won't be a bad pick either and will help the team. And in time if he can develop a bit of pass rush then great.

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    Replies
    1. If Alfred can stay healthy I suspect he'll improve with every live rep he gets just like he did at Texas.

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    2. Scooter
      Good point on Collins struggling getting off blocks. As you point out, "that's what he was like in college." * His primary role at Texas, was to absorb double teams and free up the linebackers. Rushing the QB wasn't his primary strength or his focus.
      It's also worth remembering he suffered a calf injury during minicamp in June and he's behind the learning curve.
      * Two things I've noticed, A) He needs to refine his hand usage and B) His feet stop moving once he engages with an
      O-lineman.

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    3. Yeah, agreed GEEP, that's what I noticed watching him at Texas too. It's why I wasn't that high on him for the 49ers as I didn't think his skill set matches what they do, but I also see the logic behind drafting him if they use him to clog rushing lanes.

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  9. The same was being said of Javon Kinlaw when he was drafted. Kinlaw had to fight through injury but never really developed.
    Like you, if Collins can make his bones by consistently clogging the run game, that's fine for me.

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  10. WR Jordan Watkins is expected to return to practice today.

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  11. 49ers kicking competition update for today:

    Jake Moody: 3-4, he missed a 48 yarder
    Greg Joseph: 4-4

    Distances: 33, 38, 43, and 48

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  12. CMC on his injury perception:

    "There's what's talked about and then there's what's true ... and what's true is rarely what's talked about."

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  13. Purdy to Pearsall went 5 for 5 attacking the deep middle. It's happening!

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  14. Isaac Guerendo left practice today with a shoulder injury, per Cam Inman.

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  15. Austen Pleasants filled in for an MIA McKivitz at RT today.

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  16. FB Kyle Juszczyk went to locker room during today’s practice & was noted to be moving slowly, per Nick Wagoner.

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  17. Trent Williams believes he has another 3 years left in him.

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    Replies
    1. I would like us to move on from TW, 1 year early rather than 1 year late.

      Next year's top draft pick should be invested in OL or trade for a proven LT.

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  18. Alfred Collins had his best day of camp:

    While he still has a lot of work to go when it comes to pass rush, he had a near would be sack and showed signs of being able to disengage from the OL, per Nick Wagoner.

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  19. Another nice acknowledgement from David Lombardi on Valdez.
    I watched some explosion off the LOS from Valdez, which is typically a good trait for a Dlineman. I'm pulling for him to make PS.

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    Replies
    1. He'll have to overcome some very short arms and being a bit undersized, but signs are positive so far.

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  20. After a fabulous trip to the Northwest Territories, I am back. Heading out to Montana to do about 150 miles of the Big Muddy, (Missouri River) in late Sept. Now to catch up with Niner news...

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