Aldon Smith works to expand versatility

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Over the past week, we started taking a look at the offseasons of the 49ers position groups. Now, it starts to get a little more difficult because of the nature of the practices.Players are not allowed to wear pads, and no contact is allowed. So good luck trying to evaluate linebackers, defensive linemen and offensive linemen under those restrictions. But that won't stop us from trying. . .
Linebackers
The 49ers made it simple last season for rookie Aldon Smith, the team's first-round draft pick. Although listed as an outside linebacker, Smith rarely played the position. He entered at right defensive end in passing situations, and his job was to work with Justin Smith to get to the quarterback.Few did it better than Smith, who tied for fifth in the NFL with 14 sacks. Things will get a bit more complex in his second year. Smith is slated to replace Parys Haralson at right outside linebacker. He will not be one-dimensional this season, as a big part of his game will be setting the edge in the run game.As far as his duties against the pass, one sequence during the final day of the mandatory minicamp might have offered a glimpse of what to expect.During a coverage drill, Smith got completely turned around while attempting to cover rookie tight end Garrett Celek. Smith ended up trailing Celek by at least 5 yards, as Celek caught the pass down the field from Colin Kaepernick.Then, a short time later during an 11-on-11 session, Smith showed his quickness to take an outside route to get around left tackle Joe Staley for a would-be sack of Josh Johnson.Bottom line: Smith is the 49ers' best pure pass rusher. Do no expect to see him in coverage very often as he transitions into a full-time role.The 49ers two All-Pro inside linebackers, Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman did not participate in the final days of the offseason program. Willis went home to Tennessee due to an illness in his family. Bowman remained with his girlfriend on the East Coast as the couple expected the birth of twins.Ahmad Brooks parlayed his first year as a starter (in six NFL seasons) into a handsome six-year, 37 million contract extension. Brooks played 93 percent of all 49ers defensive snaps last season. In the past, Brooks had a tendency to get out of shape during the offseason. But he took part in the full offseason program, and appeared to put himself in position to have a big-time season.Haralson, who has 68 career starts, enters training camp as the top backup at the outside linebacker positions after Aldon Smith takes over as the starter on the right side. It does not appear as if Haralson's scheduled 2.75 million salary is a concern at this point.The 49ers selected two outside linebackers in the draft to supply the team with some depth. However, Darius Fleming, a fifth-round pick from Notre Dame sustained a torn ACL and likely out for the season. And Cam Johnson, a seventh-round selection from Virginia, missed most of the offseason program. Coach Jim Harbaugh said he underwent a clean-out procedure, presumably to improve a knee condition that plagued him in college. Johnson is expected to be ready for camp.Larry Grant did not attract any attention from other clubs as a restricted free agent. He signed his one-year, 1.2 million contract and returns as the 49ers' primary backup at inside linebacker. Shortly after Willis left practice during the first day of the team's mandatory minicamp, Grant stripped tight end Nate Byham and broke up a pass intended for Vernon Davis in a 7-on-7 drill.Veteran Tavares Gooden stepped into action with the first team, alongside Grant, with the absences of Bowman and Willis. Michael Wilhoite, who spent the last month of the season on the practice squad, saw a lot of action, too. Undrafted Joe Holland (Purdue) sat out the final few practices with a right foot injury.On the outside, Eric Bakhtiari, who played for Harbaugh at the University of San Diego, put himself in position to compete for a roster spot. It'll likely come down to whether special-teams coordinator Brad Seely envisions him as a core contributor in that phase of the game. Undrafted rookie Kourtnei Brown, a 6-foot-6, 255-pounder, looks the part but never was a major contributor during his four seasons at Clemson.

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