49ers camp report: Smith hogs first-team reps

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Aug. 15, 2011MAIOCCO ARCHIVE
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Matt MaioccoCSNBayArea.com
Practice No. 13
Summary: Quarterback Alex Smith got nearly twice as many practice snaps than rookie Colin Kaepernick during another three-hour padded practice Monday afternoon. During 11-on-11 work, Smith took 40 snaps with the first-team offense, while Kaepernick took just four. Kaepernick took 17 snaps with the second-team offense. The 49ers showed some new looks along the offensive line, as Adam Snyder got first-team snaps at center but he also saw his first action at right guard. Backup left tackle Alex Boone, who has seemingly solidified his spot on the roster, saw his first action at right tackle. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman said the 49ers will play their best five offensive linemen, and moving players around is part of the process. "It's (also) contingency planning and a natural residue of competition," Roman said. "I don't think we've built the combinations of seven or eight guys to really give us a true picture. I don't think everybody has had a fair opportunity to play together at this point."Offensive Plays of the day: Working against the second-team offense, Smith found receivers Josh Morgan and Ted Ginn Jr. on deep post patterns during a productive three-play period.RELATED: Crabtree in sneakers shows progress
Defensive Play of the day: Linebacker Patrick Willis went high in the air about 20 yards over the middle to intercept a Kaepernick pass intended for newly added tight end Nate Lawrie. Willis brought the ball back down the right sideline for what would've been a touchdown return.
Injury report: CB Carlos Rogers, CB Shawntae Spencer (left hamstring), FS Reggie Smith and RB Anthony Dixon (left ankle) did not practice. . . . WR Chris Hogan (left ankle) and TE Colin Cloherty did not practice. . . . WR Michael Crabtree (left foot) and WR Dominique Zeigler (left knee) are on physically-unable-to-perform list. . . . TE Nate Byham (torn left ACL) is out for the season. WR Dontavia Bogan (torn right ACL) and CB Curtis Holcomb (ruptured left Achilles tendon) have been placed on injured reserve.Returning to work: K David Akers did not practice Sunday at Candlestick Park, and he showed up about 30 minutes into practice Monday. Akers testified early Monday in Texas that he lost 3.7 million investing with Triton Financial chief executive Kurt Barton, who is on trial in federal court on charges he defrauded investors of 50 million through a Ponzi scheme. "I've had a lot of sleepless nights," said Akers, as reported by the Austin Statesman. "As I said, this is my family's future. I said that to Kurt a lot of times. I said, 'Man, I'm trusting in you.'"Play to forget: Everything went wrong for the 49ers' first team offense on one play during practice. First, they could not get the play snaps on time. Then, a couple second after the 40-second play clock expired, Snyder bounced his shotgun snap to Smith. After gathering in the ball, Smith's pass was intercepted by rookie cornerback Chris Culliver.Personnel report: The 49ers waived OLB Thaddeus Gibson. The 49ers originally acquired Gibson after he was released by the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers drafted Gibson in the fourth round of the 2010 draft.Tying up loose ends: Receiver Michael Crabtree is no longer wearing the orthopedic boot on his left foot that he has worn since reporting to training camp with an injury and being placed on the physically-unable-to-perform list. "He's doing everything he can to get right, physically," Roman said. "We're looking forward to when he gets healthy. . . . Our meetings are very interactive, and he's very much a part of those meetings. John Morton, our receivers coach, is very, very thorough. Whether you're injured or hurt, or first team, third team, he always gets the guys prepared. Michael is right where he needs to be right now."MAIOCCO: How Culpepper would fit in with 49ers
Notable: Veteran quarterback Daunte Culpepper worked out for the 49ers on Monday morning, had lunch in the team cafeteria and remained in the South Bay into the evening. The team has yet to make an announcement whether he has been signed. One of the players who caught passes from Culpepper was Lawrie, who spent last year as a teammate of Culpepper's with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the UFL. "That's something I got to do a lot last year in the UFL," Lawrie said. "So it's familiar. He threw it well today. . . . "He's got a ton of experience and a lot of success in this league. The guy can play. He can throw the ball, and that's what it all boils down to."Quotable: "Jim Harbaugh said, 'We're not going there to win, we're going there to get better.' And I think we got better because we saw what we need to work on and we're about to fix that today and this week" -- 49ers TE Delanie Walker on the exhibition opener Friday night against the New Orleans Saints.Next practice: The 49ers are scheduled for another three-hour practice Tuesday, beginning at 2:30 p.m.

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