The San Francisco 49ers opened their Levi's® Stadium locker room doors on Thursday morning. Here's what we came away with...*
Observations
1. We were allowed through the locker room doors at an atypical time: just before the players headed to practice. As a result, there were some routines on display. Tight end Garrett Celek putting his hair in a ponytail here, and linebacker Shayne Skov lacing up his cleats ever so carefully over there.
- Skov, by the way, has a green tree tattooed over his left shoulder blade. It's an ode to his family.
- Center Marcus Martin put on a USC, number 66 shirt under his number 66 practice jersey. Martin's Trojans play their rival UCLA Bruins this weekend.
- Other players used their pre-practice time playing basketball on their mini-hoop. Special teamer Kassim Osgood and defensive tackle Tony Jerod-Eddie showed off their left-handed free-throw strokes, while wideout Bruce Ellington joked around with another lefty, linebacker NaVorro Bowman, dribbling a ball through his legs.
- Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said that Bowman, who is about 10 months removed from his knee injury, has a doctor's appointment scheduled for Friday. Bowman would need "a couple weeks of practice" before being put into a game, the play-caller added.
- Another rehabbing 'backer, Dan Skuta (ankle), has a 50-50 shot of playing on Sunday against Washington, "with a little nudge on the positive side," Fangio said. Full injury report here.
- Cornerback Marcus Cromartie, the newest addition to the practice squad, looks every bit of his listed height of 6 feet. He went out to practice wearing a number 39, scout team jersey. His official digits are 47.
--Reporting from Andrew Pentis and Nick Burton*
Interviews
SUGGESTED: ________
- READ: Borland Named NFC Defensive POW
- READ: Brooks Explains Benching
- READ: NFC West Report Week 12
- READ: Anatomy of a Play
- READ: Cromartie Signed to Practice Squad
- FEATURE: Kaepernick's Heart Warriors
- WATCH: All 5 49ers INTs of Manning
- WATCH: Davis Mic'd Up vs. Giants
