49ers QB Roll Call: Darnold throws first interception of training camp
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The 49ers practiced for 1 1/2 hours Tuesday before flying to Las Vegas in the afternoon, where they’ll resume practice Thursday and Friday at the Raiders’ facility ahead of Sunday’s preseason opener.
The quarterbacks — and the rest of the team — looked like this:
BROCK PURDY
Purdy’s next five throws went incomplete after four completions, including a drop by rookie tight end Cameron Latu, who also dropped one of Trey Lance’s throws. Purdy completed 9-of-16 passes and received all 23 first-team reps behind the starting line, which included left tackle Trent Williams but not left guard Aaron Banks, who was cleared of concussion symptoms and participated in offensive-only drills. Jon Feliciano is filling in for Banks.
Purdy’s best pass was a 25-yard liner over the middle to Brandon Aiyuk, but the next pass followed the same flight path with minimal arc, resulting in a Fred Warner interception against tight end Charlie Woerner.
Two subsequent Aiyuk targets fell incomplete, one of which Charvarius Ward nearly intercepted for what could have been the cornerback corps’ first — FIRST! — interception of camp in full-team drills.
TREY LANCE
Lance received second-string snaps ahead of Sam Darnold for the first time in four practices. Only one of five passes were completed out of the gate, but drops by Latu and Chris Conley contributed to that dreadful line. Lance finished 4-of-8, with one pass appearing to be knocked down at the line of scrimmage.
“Drops are unacceptable,” Latu said after practice. I have to fix those, get on the Jugs (machine), and catch the ball every day.”
SAM DARNOLD
Darnold’s first pass of team drills Tuesday was intercepted by safety Ji’Ayir Brown, a day after his interception-free camp was lauded by reporters (and less convincingly by coach Kyle Shanahan). Darnold rolled left and launched a 40-yard spiral toward Ray-Ray McCloud down the left sideline, who was covered by Samuel Womack before Brown rushed in and beat everyone to the ball. Clelin Ferrell, who was rushing Darnold on the play, would have sacked him in a game, but that is not permitted in camp.
Willie Snead IV and Ronnie Bell both dropped passes on Darnold. Darnold, who finished 5-of-9, aided Bell’s comeback with three receptions.
BRANDON ALLEN
Allen received only five snaps as a third-stringer, and his only passes resulted in a drop by Isaiah Winstead and a catch by Deebo Samuel. Allen’s first two snaps were to running back Jeremy McNichols, who signed after a tryout and took the place of undrafted rookie Ronald Awatt.
NOTES
Jake Moody converted both of his field-goal attempts from 60 yards out. McNichols signed after the three-back tryout on Monday, taking the place of undrafted rookie Ronald Awatt, who was waived. McNichols played for the 49ers in 2017, and he spent last season on the practice squad of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who play the 49ers in the season opener on September 10th. Taco Charlton, a defensive end, left the walk-through session with a trainer for unknown reasons and did not practice. Running back Elijah Mitchell (adductor) and defensive linemen Robert Beal and Kalia Davis were rehabbing on the sidelines. Dee Winters’ coverage against Jordan Mason and tight end Brayden Willis’ victory over Brown were highlights of one-on-one drills between linebackers and running backs.