© Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
The 49ers are midway through their third week of organized team activities (OTAs). Here are some takeaways from Tuesday’s practice.
Jimmy Garoppolo was surgical during red-zone drills
Jimmy Garoppolo has looked sharp throughout OTAs, as he continues to get acclimated with the 49ers offense under a full offseason’s time frame.
Tuesday was no different. During red zone drills, Garoppolo completed four consecutive passes, all of which resulted in touchdowns.
The first was to tight end Garrett Celek, who ran a skinny post and made a contested grab over Tyvis Powell in the back of the end zone. The next throw was squeezed within a tight window to Kendrick Bourne on a slant. The third was a lob to tight end George Kittle, who leapt, grabbed, and toe-tapped near the back-right pylon for a touchdown. The fourth score featured Garoppolo rolling to his left and finding running back Matt Breida streaking alongside the sideline.
It’s much easier to operate without pads and the fear of being hit. Garoppolo may have been sacked on that fourth touchdown. But he has looked better with each passing day, both in full-field and red-zone drills.
“It was a whirlwind last year,” Garoppolo said. “Now that things have slowed down, I feel more comfortable in the environment, getting more and more used to everything. It’s a great situation. I love being here.”
So far, Garoppolo has shown all the traits he flashed last season that warranted the 49ers signing him for $137.5 million earlier this offseason. He has showcased his accuracy, quick release, touch on both intermediate and long throws, and efficiency in the red-zone throughout recent practices.
The biggest difference between now and six months ago: Garoppolo’s familiarity with the scheme and his teammates. Last year, he said he did not know everyone’s names. He was operating on natural instincts and following orders, as opposed to fully digesting and understanding the meaning behind each call.
“As the quarterback, you want to be able to answer any question that’s asked to you,” Garoppolo said. “If you get put in a tough spot on the field, you want to be able to get the team into the right play. Last year, not that I was handcuffed, I just didn’t know some of the reasons of why we were doing things. It was just, ‘Get this by Sunday, and we will tell you everything else in the offseason,’ type thing.”
A full offseason must feel like a marathon for Garoppolo, who led the 49ers to five wins to close the 2018 season.
The Garoppolo-Kendrick Bourne rapport is strengthening
Kendrick Bourne is also partaking in his first OTAs, as the second-year receiver joined the 49ers during training camp last year. Various circumstances have carved a path of opportunity for Bourne, who has been one of the most impressive performers throughout OTAs.
Trent Taylor has been held out with a sore back. Pierre Garcon continues to ease his way back after missing the final eight games of 2017 due to a neck injury. Dante Pettis is still learning the playbook.
Meanwhile, Bourne has stepped up. He and Garoppolo connected four different times in a short span Tuesday. Last week, Garoppolo found Bourne several times, including on a long pass play up the right sideline.
10 is droppin dimes at OTAs. @JimmyG_10 x @BournePoly11 pic.twitter.com/qmc6DCloX7
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) June 2, 2018
Bourne isn’t one of Garoppolo’s fastest weapons, but he uses change of pace and a twitchy way of route-running to his benefit.
“(He is) deceptively fast but, at the same time, he has some wiggle to him,” Garoppolo said. “So, it’s a nice combination. He does a great job of catching the ball. I don’t know how many drops he has had all of OTAs, I don’t want to jinx him. He has done a great job.”
Mike McGlinchey handling everything thrown at him
The 49ers have made it clear that they selected Mike McGlinchey with the No. 9 overall pick to start him at right tackle. That much was assumed after Trent Brown was traded to the Patriots, and even more so recently, as McGlinchey has taken the starting reps.
49ers offensive line coach John Benton had high expectations for McGlinchey entering OTAs. He has exceeded them so far.
“Typically, with a rookie now, you’d still be trying to force the playbook down his throat,” Benton said. “He has digested that very well. We have already moved into some of the detail-phased things. He has fit in with the group well. And he is a hard, hard worker.”
Benton said he has introduced certain concepts to McGlinchey before practice. A couple hours later, he applied those ideas seamlessly.
“For a rookie, (he has had) very few mental errors, even technique errors,” Benton said. “It’s impressive.”
Reuben Foster returned to team drills; two key defensive players were held out
A month-and-a-half ago, no one could have expected a Reuben Foster-Fred Warner duo at linebacker. On Tuesday, Warner, the third-round pick out of BYU, lined up at middle linebacker alongside Foster at weak-side linebacker. Foster returned to the team last week after a three-month long domestic violence case was dismissed. He was limited to individual work, but he participated in team drills Tuesday.
Part of the reason why Warner and Foster played alongside each other was because middle linebacker Malcolm Smith did not practice after injuring a groin, which does not appear to be serious. (Jimmie Ward was also held out with a bum ankle.) Smith did some individual work on a side field.
It would not be entirely absurd to forecast the Warner-Foster combination as a potential duo in 2018 and beyond. Warner has earned high praise for grasping the system quickly. His sideline-to-sideline capabilities seem to complement Foster’s relentless, ball-pursuing tendencies.