The Good and Not So Good from Day 6 of 49ers Camp: Mike Evans Out with Quad Injury

SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers just wrapped up Day 6 of training camp. Here's who stood out. Keep in mind, Mike Evans sat out with a quad strain that could sideline him for multiple weeks. More on him in a minute.

THE GOOD

1. Defensive end Romello Height

He's getting a ton of reps with the starters at defensive end because Nick Bosa isn't participating in team drills. And while Height is a work in progress against the run -- today he ran past a reverse that came right at him -- he clearly is talented as an edge rusher. Today, he even beat Trent Williams around the edge during 11-on-11s. Yes, Trent Williams. Height has an uncanny ability to dip his shoulder underneath the he hands of the offensive tackle and turn the corner. If he stays healthy, he could have double-digit sacks as a rookie.

2. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir

Shut down Deebo Samuel on the first rep of 1-on-1 drills. Samuel ran a go route up the sideline, and Lenoir outran him. Samuel actually stopped running mid-route because he was losing the race. Lenoir also broke up a pass intended for Jake Tonges near the sideline during 11-on-11s. Now that Mike Evans is injured and Brandon Aiyuk is essentially gone, there's no reason to ever throw the ball near Lenoir during practice. He's far and away better than every healthy wide receiver on the field.

3. Cornerback Renardo Green

Won all three of his reps during 1-on-1s, which is rare for a cornerback. To be fair, he faced Demarcus Robinson, Wesley Grimes and Jordan Watkins -- not exactly Pro Bowlers. Still, Green ran the routes for those receivers and broke up the passes easily. He's also better than every healthy wide receiver on the field.

4. Cornerback Ephesians Prysock

Broke up a pass from Mac Jones that was intended for Junior Bergen in the red zone. Prysock is beginning to make plays in coverage. He's one of the most promising rookies in camp.

5. Cornerback Jakob Robinson

Broke up a long pass from Mac Jones that was intended for Colton Dowell near the left sideline. Robinson had a good camp last year as an undrafted free agent rookie before breaking his arm during the preseason and missing the rest of the year. Now, he's healthy and picking up where he left off last training camp.

6. Safety Ji'Ayir Brown

Broke up a potential touchdown pass from Brock Purdy that was intended for Jake Tonges. If George Kittle had been the intended target, the pass probably would have been a touchdown, but Kittle is injured, and Tonges is much slower than him, so Brown could catch up and tip the ball away. Hopefully, he'll get to face tight ends who are as slow as Tonges all season.

7. Quarterback Brock Purdy

He was accurate, decisive, and he protected the football, which is all you can ask from him right now. Would it be nice for him to make lots of plays down the field and in the red zone? Sure, but his receivers aren't open. Any time the defense decides to play man-to-man coverage, Purdy either can force a pass to a heavily-covered backup, or scramble, or throw the ball away. Today, he almost got picked by Tatum Bethune while trying to force a short pass to Patrick Taylor Jr. It's heartbreaking. The best thing he does is throw the ball with touch over the middle, but right now there's no one over the middle who's worth throwing to. Kittle is injured, Jauan Jennings is gone, and Brandon Aiyuk is on the Reserve/Left Squad List, so every throw is a 12-yard out to Demarcus Robinson, or a screen to Deebo Samuel, or a check down to Christian McCaffrey. What else is Purdy supposed to do? He needs help. And so does Mac Jones.

8. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke

Faked a handoff, rolled out to his left, stopped, turned back to his right and fired a 25-yard strike downfield to Jake Tonges running a deep over route. That was a pretty throw. Rourke is big, he moves well, and he has a strong arm. I'm eager to watch him play during the preseason. I just might pick him up and stash him on the taxi squad of my dynasty team.

THE NOT SO GOOD

1. Wide receiver Mike Evans

Missed practice with a quad strain that could keep him sidelined for the next few weeks. Keep in mind, Evans will turn 33 in August and is coming off a season in which he gained just 368 yards. Before he injured his quad, he made some plays in the end zone because he's tall, but his route-running looked labored and clunky. Now, it seems highly unlikely that he'll play more than 12 games this season, just because his body keeps breaking down in new ways. This is what old age does to people.

2. Wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling

Missed his second consecutive practice with hamstring "tightness." If his injury truly is minor, he should be back at practice on Wednesday after the team's day off. We'll see.

4. Running back Kaelon Black

Missed practice with an adductor strain, which is a fancy way to say a groin pull. Now, the top three backup running backs behind Christian McCaffrey are injured, and the best healthy backup running backs currently on the field are Sincere McCormick, a practice squad player, and Khalil Herbert, who has been on the team for a day. Tough times.

5. The electrical substation

In a week, it has taken out nearly a dozen players. The 49ers insist that the substation is a "nothingburger," but as long as their players keep going down in bunches every day, eventually they're going to have to move their practice facility somewhere else just to see what happens. In 2014, that substation was greatly expanded to accommodate Levi's Stadium. Since then, the 49ers have been among the league's most injured teams every year with the exception of 2023. I predict the 49ers will have a new training-camp site in two years. Honestly, they should move this training camp somewhere else immediately before the substation takes out anyone else.

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