The 49ers are currently in Houston and are enjoying a day off before Wednesday’s joint practice — it’s expected to be a fully padded session — with the Texans. In the meantime, let’s get to some of your questions, which were dominated this week by queries about the team’s situation at running back.
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On Twitter, @SpennyRhoads wants to know: With the Alfred Morris signing, is it a done deal that Joe Williams is destined for another year on the practice squad? Or released?
Well, Williams wasn’t on the practice squad last year. He spent the season on injured reserve. Even before Morris entered the conversation, Williams was the team’s No. 4 running back. What’s more, the No. 3 runner, Raheem Mostert, has outperformed him both at running back, and just as significantly, is the more valuable special teamer.
I’m not sure how Morris impacts the position yet. But it’s clear Williams needs to put on a show in the next two weeks. Teams must reduce rosters to 53 players on Sept. 1. Maybe he’ll get lucky and the 49ers will see how precarious they are at the top of the position and decide to keep four tailbacks.
In The Athletic’s comments section, Kent T. has a question: Hey Matt, how serious is (Matt) Breida’s injury? Will he play in the seasons opener?
Breida’s injury doesn’t seem overly serious and he should be back for the Sept. 9 opener. But the 49ers are proceeding cautiously because he’s had issues with both shoulders in the past. That speaks to a certain precariousness at the top of the depth chart at running back. Both Breida and George Kittle, who also was diagnosed with a separated shoulder, were out of uniform but on hand to watch Monday’s practice.
Barry B. dropped a question in The Athletic’s comment section: I get the right guard battle. Help me understand why (punter Bradley) Pinion is fighting for his job. He clearly helps with the kickoffs and has a higher average than (Jeff) Locke. What’s going on?
Look no further than his contract. It expires at the end of the season. In my mind, the addition of Locke is a signal from the team to Pinion: “We have options.” It’s notable that the idea of the team’s open camp competitions are at guard and punter came from a team employee. No one else had been viewing Locke vs. Pinion as a big deal.
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Pinion, after all, finished 10th in the NFL in net average last season, seventh in punts inside the 20-yard line and, as you noted, handles kickoffs. That saves the kicker wear and tear and allows the team to hang on to an older, more stable player at that spot, something the 49ers have done since Pinion arrived. What I don’t know: Whether the team and Pinion have discussed a contract extension and, if so, what the asking price was.
The Athletic subscriber Michael S. has a question about Thursday’s game: What is the biggest concern from preseason game one: the lack of sharpness by Jimmy G or the inability to get production running the ball?
Jimmy Garoppolo has looked sharp in recent practices. I’m not sure why three of his throws against the Cowboys were overcooked, but that hasn’t been happening on the practice field. The joint practices against the Texans will be a nice litmus test for him.
The bigger concern is the running game. The Cowboys’ starting defense, which was without linebacker Sean Lee, had no problem with the outside and stretch zone plays that should be the bread and butter of the 49ers offense. That unit gets stuffed sometimes by the 49ers defense. The 49ers defense, however, has the advantage of knowing what’s coming after having gone against the same runs since last spring.
In The Athletic’s comments section, Dave B. has a query about linebackers: Matt, is it safe to presume (Fred) Warner would have played many of those snaps (Elijah) Lee played had Warner been healthy?
Yes. Lee ended up playing a game-high 64 snaps on defense at Mike linebacker. Warner would have eaten into those. Furthermore, when he’s been healthy, he’s usually gotten on the practice field ahead of Lee. That is, had he been healthy Warner may have been the first linebacker to go into Thursday’s game when Malcolm Smith went out.
On Twitter Secsi Zipitio has a question about a guard: How is Joshua Garnett looking?
He’s just now coming back from his knee injury, and because he’s being eased in he was practicing with the third-string offense on Monday. He seemed to be moving around well. But as Jim Harbaugh often notes regarding injuries, “I can’t get inside his head.” And it’s inside Garnett’s head — can he feel comfortable on his surgically repaired knee? — that his future with the team seems to rest.
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On Twitter, @MikeinSF1 has a question about a former 49ers linebacker: Are you surprised NaVorro Bowman is unemployed? Is this perhaps the end of his career?
Two-down linebackers are going the way of the dodo in the modern NFL, and the truth is that Bowman’s change-of-direction skills — and thus his coverage ability — were impacted by his injuries. That said, he still tied for the Raiders tackle total last year despite being added midseason. Around the line of scrimmage he’s still very, very good and better than — what? — 90 percent of the linebackers on 90-man squads right now.
Here’s a question from Twitter via @roberob916: How’s the turf at Levi’s this year? I still noticed players slipping when trying to cut.
No one has mentioned sod until now. (Thanks, Rob.) Yes, there were at least two prominent slips in the game. But there was no issue with huge swatches of turf coming up, which has been a problem in the past. It seems good now. But remember, this is a multi-use venue and grass goes on and off the field surface throughout the year. Which is to say, the turf on the field now may not be the turf that’s there after Beyoncé arrives next month. Also, the electricity may go out for a few minutes after her set. (Ray Lewis will insist there are sinister forces responsible.)
(Top photo: Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images)
