49ers Fan Fest: Aldon Smith, Delanie Walker injury updates

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SAN FRANCISCO -- Outside linebacker Aldon Smith might not step on the field for another exhibition game, but 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh suggested he'll be ready for the team's regular-season opener.Smith sustained a right hip bruise in the 49ers' exhibition opener Friday night against the Minnesota Vikings."Pretty much what we thought the other night," Harbaugh answered when asked for an update. "We'll see. He'll be out for some time. Maybe a week or so. But I think he'll be back in a week, but we'll see."Smith will not be available for the 49ers' game Saturday against the Houston Texans. It also seems unlikely he'll play Aug. 26 against the Denver Broncos. The 49ers' final exhibition game is Aug. 30 against the San Diego Chargers, and many starters are rested in that game.The 49ers are not likely to take any chances prior to the team's regular-season opener Sept. 9 against the Green Bay Packers.
Following the 49ers' open practice Sunday at Candlestick Park, the club has another injury concern. Tight end Delanie Walker sustained a right knee injury and spent most of practice sitting on the bench with ice on his right knee.Harbaugh intimated Walker's injury is not likely to keep him out a significant period of time."We'll wait until we get some further results from the doctors, but I think we'll dodge another bullet there."The 49ers reported that 32,000 fans attended Fan Fest at Candlestick Park. Last year, a crowd of 8,000 attended. Here are some of Harbaugh's other post-practice comments:On the atmosphere, which included a lengthy autograph-signing period:
"I thought it was a real crisp practice. I thought it helped being out here. A lot of support for our team. I think they felt that from the moment they stepped on the field. It's great to have the fans here. It seems like there were four or five times more people here this year than there were last year. And they couldn't have been nicer. Our players really enjoyed it. They were really good to our team and we appreciate that."On the guy who ran onto the field:
"He called me 'Coach.' He said, 'Coach something.' I didn't say anything. I'm glad he was clothed. I'm glad he wasn't naked."Why did you make the offense run after they scored?
"That's the way we've been doing it this year. The winners get the opportunity to run."Can they defer?
"No, they can't defer. The winners get to get better. They get that opportunity."Scott Tolzien was your third QB in the game Friday. Is that going to move around during the preseason?
"It could. Possibly this next week Josh (Johnson) could go in third. And Scott fourth. But we'll see how it plays out this week in practice."Was what Tolzien did in the game representative of what he's been doing in practices?
"Yeah, I think it was pretty accurate of what he's been like. He's been real accurate in practice. He was accurate in the game. Good command of the offense. Really gets the ball out quick and makes some real accurate throws."Did you like how the team handled the Vikings blitzes?
"For the most part, I thought it was a real positive game when you look at the tape. A lot of data as we knew there would be. A lot of things to coach and teach from a positive aspect. And a lot of things we've been talking about showed up in the game. And they got a chance to see it in game action. This is a real important week for us. We'll grind this week. This will be a good, hard-working football week for our team. And see if we can make the most of it."

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