Skip to main content
Advertising

Camp Chronicles: Purdy Rest Day, Snead IV Shines 

The San Francisco 49ers are nearing the end of this year's slate of training camp practices. Saturday marked the team's second to last open workout at the SAP Performance Facility before the team departs to Las Vegas next week for joint practices with the Raiders and the start of the preseason schedule.

Here are the updates from Day 9 of the team's workouts:

Updates from the coaches and front office personnel:

  • Offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Foerster said his goal for Nick Zakelj, Keith Ismael, Jason Poe and Jon Feliciano this camp is to get them all comfortable at all three interior line positions.
  • Foerster said Feliciano's best position is at center and just needs to adjust to the quickness of the 49ers running game.
  • Matt Pryor has found the most success at the right tackle position, but will eventually be phased into both sides. Meanwhile, Jaylon Moore and Leroy Watson IV are currently training on both sides.
  • Foerster noted that second-year offensive lineman Spencer Burford redefined his body over the offseason and improved his stamina and mental approach to the game over the summer.
  • The 49ers run game coordinator also commented on the Year 2 jump of Tyrion Davis-Price, saying he looks "like a man on a mission." Foerster identified several areas of improvement for Davis-Price which include understanding of the offense, seeing the field better and body composition.

Camp Highlights:

  • Quarterback Brock Purdy did not suit up but was observing practice. He took a day off from live-action after throwing for three-straight practices.
  • With Purdy out of practice, quarterbacks Sam Darnold and Trey Lance split first-team reps.
  • Defensive lineman Austin Bryant returned to the practice, taking part in both position drills and 11-on-11 field work.
  • Safety Talanoa Hufanga and defensive lineman Arik Armstead enjoyed a veteran rest day on Saturday.
  • Quarterback Brandon Allen connected with wide receiver Willie Snead IV for a 40-yard touchdown, beating some sticky coverage from two 49ers defenders.
  • Offensive play of the day: Snead IV bested his previous catch from team drills with a one-handed grab in the left corner of the end zone with cornerback Samuel Womack III all over him. The throw was about 25 yards from Lance and closed out practice on Saturday.
  • Defensive play of the day: Defensive lineman Drake Jackson had a would-be sack during team drills.

Check out photos of the 49ers from the eighth day of the 49ers 2023 Training Camp presented by SAP.

Camp Feature: Kicker Jake Moody

Among the many position battles heating up in this second week of training camp practices is the two-way race the 49ers have at kicker between rookie Jake Moody and seventh-year pro Zane Gonzalez. Throughout the course of camp, the two specialists have been switching off kicking every other day and then sharing the field every third day.

"Both of those guys are going to be kicking in the NFL," special teams coordinator Brian Schneider said. "They're approaching it that way, playing that, and they're helping each other. It's been really cool to have that competition in camp."

For the 49ers third round draft pick, having Gonzalez' veteran experience to lean on has been helpful as he quickly gets up to speed to kicking in the NFL.

"Zane has been great to me," Moody said. "As a vet that's played for multiple years for multiple teams, he has lots of experience and lots of knowledge. Just being able to come in here and learn from a guy like that is pretty cool."

The 49ers coaching staff have put their rookie kicker in a wide array of kicking situations since the start of camp, and Moody's been consistently booting through the uprights. In addition to dedicated special teams periods, specialists have gotten a good dose of situational football, coming in for field goals to cap off drives in move-the-ball and scrimmage periods.

One of Moody's more impressive training camp kicks was a 60-yard field goal to end practice on Thursday.

"He's doing really well. We're trying to give him a little bit of everything, trying to get all situations," Schneider said. "He's right on schedule, doing everything he needs to do."

The only situation Moody is hoping to get a few more reps of is kicking inside Levi's® Stadium, however, the venue's busy concert schedule has kept the 49ers special teams unit from practicing in the venue as of late.

"We're going to try and get back in there eventually," Moody said. "We were trying to, but with the Taylor Swift concert, they had to take the poles down... Hopefully we'll get a few more kicks in there before the first preseason game."

Related Content

Advertising