SANTA CLARA – The 49ers on Sunday increased the number of practice snaps for rookie defensive end Nick Bosa, which gave him more opportunities to get the attention of coach Kyle Shanahan.
In previous practices, Bosa was on the field for approximately a dozen snaps of 11-on-11 play. On Sunday, his practice time was increased to 16 snaps.
“He’s been very effective in the reps he’s gotten,” Shanahan said of Bosa. “He seems to me like he’s out there a lot, because I’m always looking down the field, so I don’t notice those guys so they flash. I felt like he was out there every play (Saturday).”
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After veteran left tackle Joe Staley locked him up on back-to-back one-on-one pass-rush drills, Bosa constantly was around the ball – with a couple would-be sacks -- when the practice shifted to 11-on-11 work. His best play came in the run game, as he stripped Tevin Coleman of the football, leading to an Emmanuel Moseley recovery and return.
“That was the one I felt the offense had finally worn the defense down and the offense was starting to get some momentum,” Shanahan said. “I think we ran it about five plays in a row and you could see the defense was tired and it was the first time in practice the momentum changed.
“That’s what was really cool to see that you can tell when the momentum changes and you’ve got them, you knew they knew it, but someone’s got to step up and make a play.”
The 49ers have managed Bosa’s practice reps through eight practices in nine days as he returns to work after being limited to just 2 1/2 games in his final season at Ohio State due to a core muscle injury. The 49ers selected Bosa with the No. 2 overall pick.
Wide receiver competition too close to call
Through eight days of practices, a go-to receiver has yet to emerge on the practice field. The 49ers have established good depth at wide receiver, but nobody, in particular, has stood out.
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“There are days that you can see one guy. But to separate yourself, you got to do it day-in and day-out. And I’m still waiting for that,” Shanahan said.
The group of wide receivers consists of Dante Pettis, Marquise Goodwin, Kendrick Bourne, Jordan Matthews, Trent Taylor and Richie James, along with rookies Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd.
“Everybody in that room is pretty good, so there’s not a day that you can feel like you can have a bad day and you’d still come back and be in the same spot the next day,” Samuel said.
“Everybody’s life’s on the line, so we’re just competing every day in the room and out on the field.”
Samuel caught a couple of passes Sunday from Nick Mullens, including a throw down the right sideline that could have gone for a 41-yard touchdown. Taylor had five catches, including four from Garoppolo.
Offensive Play of the Day
It has been a quiet training camp for fullback Kyle Juszczyk, but he opened practice with the kind of play he has produced from time to time during his two seasons with the club. Juszczyk ran a wheel route down the left side and beat linebacker Malcolm Smith for a long completion from Garoppolo.
Defensive Play of the Day
Rookie linebacker Dre Greenlaw had an interception of C.J. Beathard early in practice (more on that below), but his best play was when he had underneath coverage on Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle. He reached out to bat down Garoppolo's pass on a throw 20 yards down the field.
[RELATED: York gave Shanahan sarcastic praise for Jimmy G trick play]
Injury report
Defensive lineman Dee Ford underwent a platelet-rich plasma treatment on his knee and is expected to miss at least another week of training camp. He has been bothered by tendinitis in his knee.
Cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon (glute), running back Jeffrey Wilson (calf) and guard Joshua Garnett (finger) remain out.
DeForest Buckner returned to practice after missing two practices with a toe injury.
This 'n' That
Second-year offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey spent time after practice with guests at the community corner. The offensive line hosted groups of special needs individuals. McGlinchey’s brother, Jimmy, was diagnosed with autism at 2 years old ...
Greenlaw, who was practicing with a heavily wrapped left wrist, intercepted a Beathard pass early in practice. Taylor was the intended target, but Beathard threw the pass directly to Greenlaw. Beathard simply did not see him, Shanahan said, before unloading the ball quickly to avoid a blitz. If the back had made it out of the backfield, Greenlaw would have vacated that spot in coverage, leaving Taylor wide open.
“You can’t see all 11 defenders on the field,” Shanahan said. “You’ve got to understand and anticipate the coverages and it looked like a guy was going to be wide open.
“I think he let it out there and didn’t realize that the back didn’t get out. If the back doesn’t get out, there’s going to be a man sitting right there. He’s just in there waiting, so bad play by him.” ...
Sheldon Day and D.J. Jones are in solid competition at nose tackle. Day and Jones both showed up in the run game, and Day got his hand on a Garoppolo pass that linebacker David Mayo nearly picked off ...
Nickel back K’Waun Williams stripped Kittle of the ball after a short pass completion ...
The 49ers worked a situation in which the offense trailed by one point, 28-27, with 1:05 remaining. After taking over at the 25-yard line, the first-team offense got themselves into range for a 47-yard field goal attempt after Garoppolo passed to Kittle for 16 yards and completed two throws to Taylor for 28 and 7 yards ...
Garoppolo completed 12 of 20 pass attempts. Mullens had a good day, connecting on 13 of 15 attempts, while Beathard completed five of eight of his passes.
Next up
The 49ers on Monday have their second day off since opening training July 27. The club returns to practice Tuesday at 10 a.m. On Wednesday, the 49ers will celebrate the legacy of Dwight Clark with sales of the book “Letters to 87.” One hundred percent of royalties from the book go to the Golden Heart Fund. Tickets remain available for each of the 49ers’ remaining three open practices in Santa Clara.