The San Francisco 49ers wrapped up the first block of open practices on Friday, closing out three straight days of action before a scheduled off day. Here are the top storylines from Day 3 of camp:
Key Takeaways from Day 3
- Quarterback Brock Purdy was absent for personal reasons, but there's no cause for concern. He's expected back when practice resumes on Sunday.
- With Purdy out, QB Mac Jones handled the first-team reps and most of the second-team work, while QB Tanner Mordecai saw increased snaps, including a few with the second offensive line.
- The defensive secondary stood out during team drills, highlighted by back-to-back pass breakups from sophmore corner Renardo Green, another PBU from Darrell Luter Jr., and an interception by safety Ji'Ayir Brown.
- Tight ends led the offensive highlights: Brayden Willis caught a deep sideline ball from Mordecai, Ross Dwelley made a contested catch, and Jake Tonges added another reception. The TEs shining had George Kittle hyped, dancing behind the offense after each catch.
- The kicking competition remained tight as both Greg Joseph and Jake Moody connected on the majority of their attempts, each missing just one kick during the session. Special teams coordinator Brant Boyer explained that he alternates kicks between the two to create added pressure and better simulate game-like situations.
- "I want to see them go back-to-back, see if they compete," Boyer said regarding alternating kickers during practice. "I want to see them kicking in the same wind direction, things like that so it's the exact same kick right after and see how they handle it and let the team see them. You know, that's how you create pressure on the guys. And I think it's good. I think it's really good for competition."
- On Friday, rookies Junior Bergen and Jordan Watkins rotated as the primary punt returners.
What's Next
The team has a scheduled off day on Saturday before returning for one more non-padded session on Sunday. Then, on Monday, the pads go on for the first time this camp.
