EDITOR'S UPDATE 4:25PM: Jennings had surgery on his right hand for a broken knuckle (sounds painful).  He'll be out Thursday, but apparently should be back for the exhibition finale against San Diego.

On Saturday Jonas Jennings apparently injured a knuckle on his right hand.  Now it looks like he'll miss Thursday's showdown with the Bears.  There is no word on the extent of the injury, but he's definitely out.

Jennings had been having a great camp, so it's definitely not good to see him get hurt.  At the same time, he's struggled to stay healthy during his career, so this isn't exactly a shocking piece of nice.  Barry Sims will get the start in his place.  While I'd prefer Jennings be healthy, it'll be good to see what Sims can do with the first team offensive line.  When Sims was signed, the coaches indicated he'd get a chance to compete for a starting position.  In reality, I have no doubt he was actually signed as insurance for Jennings.

In other injury news, Ashley Lelie is really hoping to play Thursday.  He wore a sleeve on his left calf to increase circulation and speed up his healing process from a small tear in his calf muscle.  Barrows indicated Lelie is planning on applying some pressure to the leg to see where he's at.  You know he's feeling a lot of pressure from the younger receivers.  Josh Morgan has shot past him and it's possible this is now a competition between Lelie and Jason Hill, if even that.

Finally, Michael Robinson seems to be closer to full health.  It sounds like if this were the regular season he could definitely play in the exhibition finale, but we'll see if they hold him out.  Considering the struggles of the kick off and punt coverage units, his importance is only amplified.

There's under 30 hours until kickoff (34+ thanks to the blackout) and we're getting a better idea of who we'll see tomorrow and who will be in street clothes.  I thought I'd take a look at the injured players and the impact it will have tomorrow and going forward.

Michael Robinson - This is definitely not surprising at all.  Robinson is not expected back until the regular season, maaaaaybe the last preseason game.  He's looking at more of a special teams role with the addition of DeShaun Foster but will still get time in some offensive formations.  His absence likely means more carries for 2007 preseason MVP Thomas Clayton.  Of course preseason MVP has absolutely no value, other than an apparent ticket to the practice squad.

David Baas - Another non-surprise.  Tony Wragge appears to taken control of the position ahead of Chilo Rachal.  If Wragge looks good in the preseason, I'm curious what happens when Baas is healthy.  We'll also see the likes of Jeb Terry and former Cal guard Brian De La Puente getting some reps in the second half.

Bryant Johnson and Ashley Lelie - Johnson tweaked his hamstring in the morning practice against the Raiders.  It sounds like he was performing pretty well up to that point so let's hope it's a short term issue.  As for Lelie, well we've discussed his issues at length.  In addition, Isaac Bruce is a game-time decision.  If he does play I would imagine it would only be for a series or two.  The absence of these receivers means more reps for the likes of Josh Morgan, Jason Hill and Dominique Zeigler, which could help all of their chances at more playing time.

Mark Roman - Apparently Roman was scheduled to wear the defensive radio receiver, but with his injury, Michael Lewis will be the guy.  Roman's absence means more time for Dashon Goldson.  He's been a ballhawk in practice, so let's see if he can transfer that over to game situations.

Lewis Baker - Baker is a long shot to make the roster and this thigh bruise is certainly not helping his chances.  He'd apparently been playing pretty well, so it's a shame to see this happen.  This means more playing time for DJ Parker and probably extra time for Keith Lewis as the 49ers are a bit low at safety for this game.

In a less than stellar piece of news, it was announced that Michael Robinson underwent arthroscopic surgery today.  The procedure was designed to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.  The injury happened when he ran into the back of Chilo Rachal and went down.  He thought he was fine, but clearly that was not that case.  No timetable was given, but Barrows mentioned that it might be a week or two before he gets back on the field.  [EDITOR'S NOTE: MM is now stating Robinson could miss upwards of 3-5 weeks.  That would bring him back right before the start of the regular season.  We'll see what Thomas Clayton does with more preseason carries.  Maybe he squeezes onto the Week 1 roster.  We'll see.]

I tried doing my own research on this type of injury but most everything I found dealt with normal recovery times, and not times for professional athletes.  One interesting tidbit I came across mentioned that LenDale White supposedly played all of 2007 with a torn meniscus.  Although he struggled at times, the Titans back finished with 1,110 yards on the season and claims to be 100% healthy now.  Robinson is not an every down back but as a special teams standout we certainly want him at 100%.  He was not going to pass DeShaun Foster on the depth chart, but you never want a guy missing reps on the field.

In other 49ers injury news, Aubrayo Franklin passed his physical today and was taken off the PUP list.  Also, according to MM, the 49ers are hoping for Ashley Lelie to return later this week and apparently Joe Staley is making his way back tomorrow after missing time with his infected foot.

The 49ers wrapped up their third day of practice today.  Apparently the original plan was to have a morning and afternoon practice, but Mike Nolan decided to cancel the afternoon practice.  The team starts practicing in pads tomorrow, so it sounds like a chance to give everybody a little rest before then.

On current injury issues
"Arnaz Battle is nursing a little bit of a hamstring that kind of bothers him somewhat. He might take fewer reps at times, although he didn’t today. But someone like Ashley Lelie, naturally that gives someone else the opportunity to take some of those reps so it’d be important for him to get back. He should be back in a few days."

"Walt Harris was held out of practice just because that’s the way we’re doing it. Just like we’ve done the last two years with him: one a day. That is the case with certain players. Jonas Jennings is one of those and Walt Harris, Isaac Bruce, Arnaz Battle – those are the four that come to mind. Joe Staley should be in at the middle or end of the week. We’ll see how it keeps going, but it will not be tomorrow. Aubrayo Franklin should be in the next day or two. [Damane] Duckett will be a few days. Michael [Robinson] has got a strained knee, and they’ll look at it when they go inside . . . it just looks like a strain.”

On the WR battle
"There are a few established guys and a couple I can speak of right away: naturally Isaac Bruce and Arnaz Battle. [Bryant Johnson] might be in that group but, at the same time, he’s in a new situation and a new offense, and it’s important for him to stay in the competition as far as doing everything he can to get better.”

On whether Battle and Bruce are considered the "starters," with Johnson the #3
“No, I would consider all three of them. I would just talk about a three-wide situation because that’s definitely the case. We’re trying to get our best out on the field, so they may be part of the best 11 as it looks right now when you compare them to a fullback offense or a tight end offense.”

On Josh Morgan
“He’s caught a lot of balls, so he has made a good impression. He’s done a very good job, and he’s working hard. He needs to continue to do those things not only on the field but off the field as far as taking care of his body . . . It would be nice if he factors in because he’s certainly done a very nice job for three days and five practices.”

On whether they'll keep 6 receivers on the 53-man roster
“No, I would hope for at least four. Five would be reasonable, but six would mean that we’ve got a decent core of guys. So, I was hoping for guys to show up and then we’d have six, but I wouldn’t go that far today.”

On whether Tony Wragge and Chilo Rachal are battling for a starter role or backup role
“You know, at this point, if everybody’s healthy, it will be a long shot for one of them [to start over David Baas]. But they keep getting better. I’d like for one of them to prove me wrong. You get your expectations too high on a rookie and you’ve either got a bad football team or you’re getting ready to be bad.”

MY THOUGHTS (Fooch, not Nolan)
It sounds like Josh Morgan is making quite an impact on the coaching staff.  Maiocco and Barrows indicated back in June that Morgan looked impressive in OTAs.  If Ashley Lelie can't get healthy, it wouldn't surprise me in the least to see Morgan get a roster spot over Lelie.  Considering the team has 3 solid receivers already, it would not be like cutting your top receiver by any stretch.  Lelie continues to frustrate.  He's out for several days and that's just not going to help him, especially considering he was in the dog house most of last season.

As for the battle at right guard, Nolan makes a good point about getting high expectations for a rookie.  Even if Rachal isn't able to step up, Wragge has been a decent offensive lineman when called upon.  And, as previously discussed, even if Wragge or Rachal doesn't take the starting job, they can work to providing some excellent depth.

I was trying to come up with a clever title and just decided, screw it, and went with the generic title.  While poking around the Internet this morning, I came across another 49ers blog called 49ers Locker.  They're providing "projected grades" for the 2008 season position by position, and over the weekend they addressed fullback.  They projected a C for the season in large part due to the position's lack of use in the Mike Martz offense.

So the question becomes what will happen with the fullback position and how many guys will be kept?  In the initial 53-man projection we did, Moran Norris was the only fullback we kept.  However, the OTAs have me wondering what will end up happening at that position.  I looked back over Matt Maiocco's OTA reports and he had some interesting comments.  During the practices open to the media, Zak Keasey received most of the first-team snaps.  At the same time, when discussing the role of the fullback in Martz's offense, it's clear that some of the FB responsibilities are filled by the tight ends and H-backs.  After OTAs were completed, MM went through the roster and when addressing fullback said:

Fullback: Moran Norris has been the starter. But how much will Martz utilize the fullback? Probably not much. Might the 49ers go with Zak Keasey ahead of Norris? We already know the 49ers plan to use Frank Gore and Michael Robinson together in the backfield some of the time. Other times, they can use tight ends Vernon Davis, Delanie Walker and Billy Bajema out of the backfield. Does that make Norris expendable?

Looking at the 49ers roster as it currently stands, there are plenty of guys to fill the necessary roles.  Vernon Davis lined up in the backfield quite a bit last season and the coaches have stated they'll use Michael Robinson in the same backfield as Frank Gore at times.  While any of those options reduces the power running idea a little bit, it gives the offense more flexibility.  If you've got a non-fullback in the backfield with Frank Gore or DeShaun Foster you're going to have play the team a little more straight up.

Of all the position battles heading into training camp, this will definitely be one that requires some exhibition games to fully flesh out.  I'd be pretty surprised if the team didn't keep a fullback, but I'd also be a little surprised to see them keep more than one.

Often times when various positional unit rankings are published, the predictors fail to consider the potential and just look at the previous year's production.  Considering how bad the 49ers offense was last year and particularly the offensive line, it's easy to see how potential disrespect for the skills of Frank Gore can be overlooked.  Thankfully, that is not the case for the moment.

Over at the world wide leader, Bill Williamson posted the ten best rushing attacks in the NFL and YOUR San Francisco 49ers slid in at #10.  It's Insider protected, so here's the gist:

Even though the 49ers were awful on offense in 2007, it's hard to deny the talent of RB Frank Gore. With better play at quarterback, better play up front and better play calling, he can be an elite back. Gore's lack of production last season was not due to a lack of commitment to running the football. The effort was there, but the 49ers often fell behind and Gore became more useful in the passing game. With new offensive coordinator Mike Martz running the show, Gore will be the featured player on offense. Martz is known more for the pass than for the run, so look for Gore to build on his 53 receptions from last season. The 49ers' lack of depth at running back has been an issue in the past, but it will be better in 2008 with the addition of veteran DeShaun Foster.

While it's always nice to get respect, I'm surprised there is not more discussion about DeShaun Foster.  His addition is one that really has me excited.  I was a big fan of his coming out of UCLA and it's nice to finally have legitimate depth for the first time since 2003 when Barlow and Hearst combined for almost 1,800 rushing yards and 500+ receiving yards.  Unlike the recent past, when Frank Gore comes off the field, defenses will still have to honor the rushing attack (no offense Maurice Hicks and Michael Robinson).

Last season I signed up for text message updates from the 49ers and I have to say, some of the time I'm receiving them before seeing anything online.  Being in the slow days of June, not a whole lot is going on so not too many messages.  However, early yesterday afternoon I learned that the 49ers had successfully claimed QB Kyle Wright off waivers from the Vikings and waived QB Drew Olson.

Considering the quarterbacks already in camp, I'd be shocked if Wright was on the roster at the end of August.  At the same time, Wright could be a prime candidate for the practice squad.  Drew Olson actually spent a small part of the season on the practice squad.  In the meantime, the claim of Wright has inspired me.  The 49ers currently have 81 players on their roster, including unsigned draft picks.  Just for sh$#s and giggles I thought I'd put together the "worst starting lineup possible."  All of these players are certainly world class athletes, but many of them are not starter quality.

OFFENSE
QB: Kyle Wright - He was ok for the U last season but definitely the worst option.
RB: Michael Robinson - Robinson brings a lot to the table, but I'm convinced Thomas Clayton is a better pure running back.  We're not factoring in potential special teams contributions either.
WR: Dominque Ziegler & Jerard Rabb - I actually like most of the 49ers less wide receivers, especially Robert Jordan.  Ziegler has struggled with injuries problems and Rabb was the 1A banana at Boise State in 2006 (he was the guy who caught the lateral and tied the game).
TE: Cooper Wallace - At least JJ Finley is a rookie and put up better college numbers.  Wallace has been in the NFL a couple years and hasn't made a big impact yet.  I'd imagine he's coming to the end of the road pretty soon.
OT: Damane Duckett & Alan Reuber - Duckett is a pet project of Nolan and considering he's never actually played in a game as a tackle.  Reuber has been around since 2004 and has seen scattered action during that time.
C: Cody Wallace - Not exactly an inspired pick.  I'm tempted to just see Wallace starting over Heitmann, but this is more a default pick since the 49ers only have a pair of centers.
OG: Brian De La Puente & Jeb Terry - Terry has been around the league for a few years and seen some action mostly on special teams.  De La Puente is a rookie out of Cal and I wouldn't mind seeing him on the practice squad.

DEFENSE
DE: Atiyyah Ellison & Louis Holmes - Ellison joins the running theme of practice squad bodies on this squad.  Louis Holmes is an undrafted free agent, so it's certainly too early to tell what he brings to the table.
DT: Walter Curry - LaJuan Ramsey was battling for this spot, but Ramsey has actually registered real NFL statistics.  Curry was an undrafted free agent in 2005 and has bounced from practice squads to NFL Europe and back.
OLB: Roderick Green & Parys Haralson - The linebacker positions show you the deth the 49ers have.  Green and Haralson are probably not starting caliber (at least for the 49ers), but they provide quality depth
ILB: Dennis Haley & Larry Grant - As seen in the outside linebackers, inside linebacker would also be a strength of this particular team.  Grant is a favorite of mine, so we'll see how he looks in training camp.
CB: Markus Curry & Marcus Hudson - Curry has bounced around practice squads since 2005 and I'd imagine he'd be an early cut in training camp.  The second CB spot was tough.  Tarell Brown brings way too much upside and Strickland gets a pass thanks to his huge defensive play against the Cardinals.  Reggie Smith is too green to be considered here so that leaves "veteran" Marcus Hudson.
FS: Lewis Baker - He's an undrafted free agent with some potential, but I certainly don't see sticking Mark Roman or Dashon Goldson in this spot.
SS: DJ Parker - Similar to Baker above, I don't see sticking Michael Lewis or Keith Lewis in this spot.

There's a back-up punter but that would just be ridiculous to talk about.  Of course considering I just did an analysis of the bottom end of the roster pool, maybe I should have included Ricky Schmitt.  I'd imagine this team would probably go 0-16.  Although, I definitely think this would make for an impressive college team.  So, would this team be able to win at the NFL level?  Considering we're playing Miami this year, it's entirely possible 1-15 is a better bet.

Yesterday came the news that Delanie Walker was inked to a contract extension through 2012.  Walker's deal appears to be a 3-year deal worth $6 million, including a $1.8 million signing bonus.  This comes on the heels of Michael Robinson signing his own three year extension for $3.525 million, including a $1.2 million signing bonus.  Both players rookie contracts expire after 2009.

Between the two of them, in two seasons they've combined for 237 rushing yards, 43 receptions, 324 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns.  Delanie Walker is a backup tight end and Michael Robinson is the third string running back.  On the surface this would not seem like much to write home about.  Of course, here at Niners Nation, neither Walker nor Robinson is thought of in such traditional terms.

Delanie Walker
Walker is definitely a fan favorite of many and his potential has folks rather excited.  Vernon Davis is the future of the 49ers at tight end, but Walker is a guy who can definitely make an impact.  The 49ers seem to think the same thing with this extension.  Furthermore, Mike Martz has been impressed with what Walker has brought to the table so far in practice:

"Wow. That's how I would say it. Wow. He has some real wow factor to him. He is such a professional and he works so hard at it. He's such a stickler for detail. You talk about some jets and some ability to run and eat up the field. Holy cow. I didn't know anything about Delanie until I got here. The last week or two, we put some things in just for him and he just really excelled."

Walker put up some decent numbers in the preseason last year and showed some signs of life in the regular season.  As with the rest of the offense, it's hard to predict what the Mike Martz offense will mean for Walker's production.  He had 21 receptions for 174 yards last season.  The preseason will likely not be much of an indicator since I'd imagine the team will hold back on rolling out the entire offense.  Any predictions on walker's season?

Michael Robinson
Robinson has always been intriguing because of the switch he's made from quarterback to running back, and the fact that the 49ers took him in the 4th round to make this transition.  Although he hasn't blown people away as a running back, he showed some progress last year, boosting his rushing average from 3.1 to 4.7 yards per carry.  It was based on only 26 carries, so we'll see if SSSS (small sample size syndrome) comes into play.  The addition of DeShaun Foster makes for an interesting situation for Robinson.  While Robinson might not do much as a running back this coming season (or even long term for all we know), he has shown some ability on special teams. 

One thing I do like about him is the fact that he, along with Arnaz Battle, can be utilized in some creative situations because of their quarterback experience.  Martz enjoys some trickery in his offense and this could be his best opportunity.  Throw in the fact that Alex Smith is quite athletic (you don't run Urban Meyer's spread option offense without being an athlete) and we could see some overall zaniness on the field in 2008.

The one thing to keep in mind with these two extensions is that they're low risk, high reward situations.  If there comes a time when there is clearly no room for one or both of them in the future, cutting them will not even remotely cripple the team financially.  Although the press coverage goes to Justin Smith and Nate Clements type signings, these smaller deals can often turn out just as important.

I couldn't think of a more creative headline, so we're stuck with this.  Anyways, over at ESPN the Magazine, they've run various features written by athletes.  In the most recent edition, our very own Michael Robinson wrote about his interest in doing broadcasting work.  ESPNU worked out a deal so he could be an on-camera reporter for the Baylor-Texas women's softball game.  The article discusses his experience leading up to and including the game.  Below is some of the video footage as well.

Aside from the 49ers connection, we at Niners Nation are especially interested because we got a shout out from ESPN the Magazine online.  They noticed the article about Frank Gore and DeShaun Foster and used that as a lead in to Michael Robinson's potential side career.

In our continuing run through random features at the major sports websites, today we see Scouts Inc going all cartoon character on us.  The scouts decided to rank "all 64" running backs in the league.  The reason I put that in quotation marks is because they have missed some running backs, notably our very own Michael Robinson.  Of course Robinson is a 3rd string back and not a huge contributor in the running game.  So I'm guessing this is more along the lines of all starting and 2nd string running backs, or something like that.

This post was inspired in part by the lack of discussion in 49er land about the potentially great running back tandem the 49ers will put on display.  Of course their production will depend in part on the play of the offensive line and if both guys can remain healthy.  However, in looking at the recent past, the last time the 49ers had two solid running backs at the same time was 2001-2003 when Garrison Hearst and Kevan Barlow were carrying the load.  Two of those three teams went to the playoffs and while it was more than the running game that did that, a great running game can certainly help.  Gore's first year as a starter the team shocked many by finishing 7-9 as Gore finished with the best rushing season in franchise history.  Last year Gore struggled and it's kind of amazing he finished with 1,102 yards considering the performance of the rest of the offense.  The 49ers have plenty of other worries but to point out the dramatic improvement at running back, consider just the numbers.  Last season, DeShaun Foster had more rushing yards than the combined rushing yards over the last two years of any 49ers rusher not named Frank Gore.  The last two seasons have seen the non-Gore's rush for 852 total yards.  Foster has averaged 884 yards the last three seasons.  Now Foster will be in a different position in 2008 coming off the bench to spell Gore.  However it will be interesting to see if this reduced playing time keeps both guys fresher over the course of the season.  Maurice Hicks and Michael Robinson have done what they could as backups, but let's be honest, they are not the answer at RB #2 right now.  Robinson could very well develop into a solid backup, but for now, Foster is a considerably better option.

So what do the scout's think?  In discussing the backs, they ranked them and then went with a superhero motif giving a superpower and kryptonite:

7. Frank Gore, San Francisco 49ers

Superpower -- We're not sure we have seen a back who is so explosive yet has dealt with so many injuries. Gore shows exceptional quickness to and through the hole and can plant and change directions quickly. He runs with good balance and is tough to get off his feet. His hands are an asset, and he likely will catch close to 100 balls in 2008 in the scheme of new offensive coordinator Mike Martz.

Kryptonite -- Durability. Gore has had two major knee injuries dating back to college, and in the NFL he has been nicked up often. We wonder about his longevity as a feature back. The 49er did not run as hard last season and became frustrated with his role in the offense. He needs to mature and become a more effective leader.

1 spot ahead -- Joseph Addai

1 spot behind: -- Marion Barber

42. DeShaun Foster, San Francisco 49ers
Superpower -- He is a talented, experienced backup who will bring good production and versatility to the 49ers' backfield. He can be very effective in a rotation or on third down. Foster possesses good hands as a receiver out of the backfield, and he can stay in and pass protect effectively. He still has good strength and quickness to be effective running between the tackles or on the outside.

Kryptonite -- Ball security always has been an issue with him, and he is starting to lose some of the elusiveness for which he was known coming out of college. He also gets upright when running inside. He is not a guy you want carrying the load full time, but he still can produce in a variety of situations.

1 spot ahead -- Matt Forte, Bears rookie

1 spot behind -- Ray Rice, Ravens rookie

I think it's difficult to predict exactly how the Gore/Foster randem will work over the course of the season.  They're both highly talented running backs.  Foster has played in a semi-platoon situation with DeAngelo Williams, but when healthy he was the #1 guy in that platoon.  So he'll have to get used to not being the man.  So what kind of production will we see from this duo?  Since the end of the Hearst/Barlow duo, the 49ers best rushing season was 2006 when the team rushed for 2,172 yards, thanks in large part to Frank Gore's obscene season.  Once again, the offensive line play and production of the passing game will play a large part in this.  For now though, let's just look at the running backs in a vacuum.  So what kind of production do you see?