Injured LB Foster gets into the action against Broncos
SANTA CLARA » Training camp officially ended for the up-andcoming 49ers on Thursday, and as was the case throughout, rookie linebacker Reuben Foster certainly seized the spotlight.
He even did so despite a sprained right shoulder, one that is not expected to keep him out of the 49ers’ exhibition Saturday night. It sure didn’t keep him out of the fights that marred the start of Thursday’s practice against the Denver Broncos.
Held out of full-team drills as a precautionary measure, Foster thrust himself into a scrum when the 49ers defense and Broncos offense got heated. Foster came to the defense of fellow rookie Pita Taumoepenu before getting shoved by Broncos guard Allen Barbre.
Once the pushing and taunting calmed down, Foster re-
mained charged up and had to be pulled away by 49ers coaches. He was, however, allowed to resume practice in 7- on-7 drills and cap off an eye- opening, first training camp.
Here are the top three things we learned Thursday: 1. SHANAHAN ON ANTHEM
PROTEST » Coach Kyle Shanahan eloquently explained his wish for harmony across the nation, and he also understands players’ intentions when they protest the national anthem, none of whom did in the 49ers’ exhibition opener Friday.
“I see stuff on TV also, things that are going on in this country and this world,” Shanahan began. “Anybody who sees that stuff and doesn’t get the feeling that they’d like to do something about it to end that stuff, something’s wrong with you.
“I completely understand why guys want to do stuff and speak up. There’s lots of different ways to do it. Me, personally, I always stand for the flag.”
What he hasn’t done as 49ers coach is address his team about the anthem, nor does he see the need.
“Everyone gets what’s going on to a degree and what’s very wrong about this stuff,” Shanahan said. “Everyone wants to do stuff. Everyone wants to make a change. I’m not going to sit and tell people how to do that. That’s up to them. That’s why our country is the best country.”
Col in Kaepernick sparked league-wide anthem protests last season with the 49ers. Eric Reid and Eli Harold, the two players who knelt with Kaepernick, both said they don’t plan to protest that way this season. General manager John Lynch drew some criticism Wednesday for saying he prefers a unified approach to the anthem and that protests can be “divisive.” 2. LINEBACKERS NEED
HEALTH CARE » As Shanahan downplayed Foster’s AC joint sprain from Wednesday’s practice, the first-year coach brought up how NaVorro Bowman also had a sore shoulder. Wait, what?
“It’s something that happens, especially with linebackers, a lot. I mean, Bo went out halfway through practice with the same thing,” Shanahan said. “It was physical out there, the way linebackers go against teams.”
Don’t panic, Bowman’s health isn’t in jeopardy again. He said he’s dealt with shoulder stingers such as Thursday’s “a mil- lion times” and knows how to treat it. He also noted his situation is different from Foster’s, because, well, Bowman isn’t coming off rotator cuff surgery like Foster is.
“We were just being safe with him,” Shanahan said of Foster. “We know he hasn’t been (practicing) on it very long. He was sore after yesterday.”
Foster was drafted 31st overall after falling down the draft board amid concerns he might need a follow-up surgery on his right shoulder’s rotator cuff. A team spokesman emphasized that Foster’s current issue is different from the
rotator cuff, and Foster didn’t seem concerned during or after practice Thursday.
The linebacker corps was so injury riddled this camp that yet another reinforcement arrived Thursday: Stanford product Shayne Skov, who’s had multiple stints with the 49ers since 2014.
Bowman and Ray-Ray Armstrong were the firstteam inside linebackers in Thursday’s Foster-less, fullteam drills, while Brock Coyle, Austin Calitro and Skov served as backups. Three linebackers on injured reserve: Malcolm Smith (pectoral), Donavin Newsom (concussion) and Jayson DiManche ( hamstring). 3. NEW QUARTERBACK ROTA
TION » Rookie C. J. Beathard, not Matt Barkley, will be the first quarterback off the bench to replace Brian Hoyer in Saturday night’s exhibition against the Broncos.
Shanahan hopes to play Hoyer and the starting offense about 20 snaps before brining in Beathard, who played the entire second half in the exhibition opener and led a comeback win over the Chiefs.
Shanahan said his “hunch” is that Beathard will play into the third quarter before yielding to Barkley.
At Kansas City, Beathard was 7 of 11 for 101 yards with two touchdowns; Barkley was 10 of 17 for 168 yards.