Summer break is underway for the 49ers — and QB Watch 2021.
Rave reviews escorted both Jimmy Garoppolo and Trey Lance out of an abruptly shortened offseason program.
Both are healthy. Both look poised for successful futures. Come training camp in July, they’ll be in their same roles — Garoppolo as the ever-motivated starter, Lance as the quick-learning understudy.
Pleased with his roster’s near-perfect attendance the past two months, Kyle Shanahan called off this week’s final two organized team activities, plus next week’s mandatory minicamp, the latter of which he planned to cancel even before Monday’s serious injuries to Tarvarius Moore and Justin Skule.
Shanahan, on a video call with reporters Wednesday, affirmed that Garoppolo “had his best spring since we’ve had him.”
That’s an easy call, considering Garoppolo’s only other full offseason with the 49ers was in 2018. Knee rehabilitation curtailed his 2019 offseason, and 2020 was scuttled by the COVID pandemic. “Jimmy came in in great shape, really locked in, (and) was in a good place physically and mentally,” Shanahan added.
And Lance?
“He did a good job, I mean, just being able to throw everything at him,” Shanahan said. “We got through the whole installation and be able to do that, there’s a process of it. Some days you do good, some days you do bad.”
Offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel said there’s been a “diligent” collaboration to coach up Lance among himself, Shanahan, quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello and passing-game specialist Bobby Slowick. Too many voices? Or one harmonious one?
“That’s why it’s so important to have some rapport and be on the same page as an offensive staff, so multiple people can speak to one player and not get the wires crossed,” McDaniel said.
Amid translating offensive verbiage and refining mechanics, McDaniel acknowledged that Lance’s dual-threat ability to pass and run “temps your mind a little bit.” Lance drew special praise for how coachable he is and his willingness to accept constructive criticism.
“Now we have tape to show (Lance), tape to talk to him about,” Shanahan said. “He gets to get away on his own and have an idea of what’s expected out of him when he gets back.”
BOSA MAKES CAMEO
Nick Bosa showed up this week for the offseason program — only to quickly learn he and his teammates are now on summer break. “He didn’t take part in much because he’s still rehabbing (a knee), but he’s been here all week,” Shanahan said. “He’s been good. But he came for a shorter visit than expected. He thought he was going to come for two weeks but I didn’t let him know until I let the whole team know we weren’t doing minicamp.”
Bosa had spent most of this offseason — with Shanahan’s public blessing — rehabilitating in his native Fort Lauderdale, Fla., after last season’s anterior cruciate ligament tear.
THE INJURY TREND
Shanahan was going to try for an eighth OTA practice, only to scuttle that after Monday’s double-whammy injuries to Tarvarius Moore and Justin Skule. Moore ruptured an Achilles changing directions in coverage and Skule tore an anterior cruciate ligament when his knee buckled in a pass-blocking drill, Shanahan said. Those injuries followed a “freak, unfortunate accident” last month when running back Jeff Wilson Jr. tore his knee’s meniscus rising from a locker room chair.
“To sit and say we’re going to do training camp differently because someone (Wilson) got hurt getting out of a chair, because someone (Moore) got hurt on air and a person (Skule) hurt his knee playing football, it would be pretty irresponsible of me and extremely reactionary,” said Shanahan, imploring that players must practice to improve and last longer.
Shanahan noted the 49ers study the “whole science” of training methods and chart player’s daily efforts through GPS tracking, adding: “You could write a 1,000-page book on that answer.”
WIDE RECEIVER RACE
While Shanahan wants Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel healthy for a full training camp to unleash their potential, a “fun competition” awaits for the No. 3 receiver role. Shanahan praised the offseason efforts of Richie James Jr., Mohamed Sanu, Jauan Jennings and Travis Benjamin. Jalen Hurd is expected to join practices at camp, a year after his ACL tear.
“The competition is heavy and you’d be a fool to try and predict who will be on our final roster with or without injuries,” McDaniel said. (An initial foolish attempt: Aiyuk, Samuel, Benjamin, Sanu, Trent Sherfield and Jalen Hurd.)
DEE FORD UPDATE
Defensive end Dee Ford was the only player not present for any OTAs the past couple weeks. After months of progress in his rehabilitation at the 49ers’ facility, he left to see his back specialist in Kansas City, and “I’m keeping my fingers crossed,” said Shanahan, noting that Ford also had to get away “for his peace of mind.”
JULIO JONES TRADE
In not trading for Julio Jones, Shanahan referred to the 49ers’ limited draft capital, how they’re without first- and third-round picks next year because of March’s trade up to No. 3 for Lance.
“No one in the world doesn’t want a guy like that. Everyone knows the player he is,” Shanahan said of the former Falcons’ All-Pro he coached in 2016-17. “But it’s not as simple as that. You’ve got to build a team, and not just year to year, but for the future.”
Only four wide receivers are signed into 2022 — Aiyuk, Samuel, Hurd and rookie Austin Watkins Jr. — so Shanahan noted how hard it would be to add more if they also parted with second- and fourth-round picks, which the Tennessee Titans sent to Atlanta for Jones.
VACCINATION RATES
Shanahan said 52 players are vaccinated against COVID, leaving them 25 short from relaxed safety protocols. “We need 85 percent, so 77 of the 90,” Shanahan said. “I’m hopeful we’ll get there and I think we will. It’s a different decision for everybody, especially religious reasons. …I’m hoping we do it because I don’t want to wear my mask in here anymore, and I want to have team meetings in our team meeting room, and be able to hang out on the road in hotels.”
THE SERMON SHOW
Running back Trey Sermon’s initial offseason went “great” as his reps increased weekly, partly a result of starter Raheem Mostert resting a knee issue. Shanahan said of Sermon, a third-round pick: “As we cooled it down with Raheem a little bit the last couple weeks, it’s given him even more opportunities.”
EXTENDED ROAD TRIPS
Extended trips await the 49ers for their first away contests. They will hold joint practices at the Los Angeles Chargers’ Costa Mesa facility ahead of their Aug. 22 exhibition at SoFi Stadium. For the second straight season, the 49ers will stay at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia between back-to-back away games the first two weeks of the season — at Detroit on Sept. 12 and at Philadelphia on Sept. 19.
