The Good and Not So Good from Day 16 of 49ers Camp: Kittle and McCaffrey Return

SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers just finished Day 16 of training camp. Here's who stood out.

THE GOOD

1. Tight end George Kittle

Practiced for the first time since he tore his Achilles in January. Participated in individual drills with the other tight ends but did not participate in 1-on-1 or 11-on-11 team drills, which are dangerous. The 49ers are smart to go slow with Kittle, considering he's way ahead of schedule. I expect he will fly to Australia and play against the Rams in Week 1. I don't think he'll dominate as he has in the past, but I think he'll help, and I think the 49ers will win. Call me a homer.

2, Tight end Jake Tonges

He must be worried about Kittle taking all of his playing time, because in the past two practices, Tonges has gone crazy. Today, he caught a team-high six passes. He was Brock Purdy's go-to guy, particularly after Mike Evans went down for the third time in camp (more on him in a minute). After Evans left the field, the 49ers started using lots of tight ends. I've never seen them do this before. Hopefully, they'll do it during the season with Kittle, Tonges and Luke Farrell.

3. Running back Christian McCaffrey

Practiced for the first time in two weeks and looked fresh and ready for Week 1. Unlike Kittle, McCaffrey participated in team drills with no restrictions. He seems poised to have a good year, particularly because the 49ers seem intent on resting him at times. They really like Kaelon Black.

4. Running back Kaelon Black

Caught two passes from Purdy in the first three plays of 11-on-11s. Black isn't a hybrid slot receiver like McCaffrey, but he can catch passes, and the 49ers will throw to him. He's a three-down player. But the best thing he does is run the ball, particularly between the tackles. He has the speed to get to the perimeter, but he wants to run downhill. He hits holes between the tackles with zero hesitation, and can squirt through the tiniest of creases. In that sense, he reminds me of Frank Gore. At one point, he took a helmet-to-helmet hit from Fred Warner on a pass over the middle, stayed down for a second, shook his head, ran back to the huddle, lined up in the backfield, took the handoff and exploded around the left side for a 20-yard gain. He's so tough.

5. Wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling

Returned to practice after missing yesterday with a shoulder injury. Wore a black non-contact jersey but still participated fully and even caught a 15-yard pass near the sideline from Purdy while being covered by Jack Jones.

6. Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir

Also returned to practice after missing yesterday with a shoulder injury. At one point, he even lined up in the slot as a nickelback, something I haven't seen him do in two years. Wherever he lines up, Purdy usually stays away from him.

7. Nickelback Upton Stout

Intercepted Purdy while covering Stribling in the slot. Stribling ran a dig route over the middle, Purdy released the pass before Stribling turned his head, and Stout broke on the pass before Stribling knew it was coming his way. Stout and Lenoir are by far the best players in the 49ers' secondary. The rest of the starters are shaky.

8. Safety Ashtyn Davis

Intercepted Mac Jones on a pass over the middle that was intended for Jacob Cowing. Davis is nearly 30 years old, and he hasn't had much success playing safety in his career, but he just might be good enough to start for the 49ers, considering their starting free safety, Marques Sigle, almost never makes plays on the ball. And today, he blew his assignment in the middle of the field and gave up an uncontested 70-yard touchdown catch to Jordan Watkins. Give Davis a chance.

9. Cornerback Ephesians Prysock

Broke up two passes -- a deep one intended for Will Pauling, and a short one intended for Malik Turner. It's just a matter of time before Prysock joins Lenoir and Stout as starters in the secondary. He has incredible athletic gifts, he doesn't give up much separation, and he makes plays on the ball. What more could you want?

10. Linebacker Dre Greenlaw

Broke up and nearly intercepted a pass from Purdy over the middle that was intended for Evans. Greenlaw hasn't made a ton of plays in camp, and he frequently comes off the field in clear passing situations such as third down. But on this play, he nearly made a one-handed interception. Still, I wonder about his ability to break down and change directions after tearing his Achilles. Don't expect him to be a full-time player this year.

11. Defensive tackle James Thompson Jr.

He's probably the second-best defensive tackle on the team after Osa Odighizuwa. Thompson Jr. is a terrific run defender who actually can rush the passer as well. Today, he lined up with the starters and beat Carver Willis to "sack" Purdy. Whoever scouted this guy deserves a promotion.

THE NOT SO GOOD

1. Wide receiver Mike Evans

Left practice early yet again. A few days ago, he left the joint practice against the Chargers early due to a quad strain. This injury doesn't appear serious, and yet Evans can't make it through consecutive practices without reaggravating it. Today, he ran a deep corner route, which required him to sprint, he pulled up at the end of the play, took off his shoulder pads and watched the rest of practice from the sideline. He just doesn't seem like he's going to make it through the entire season. I wouldn't be surprised if he starts some games he doesn't finish. No wonder the 49ers are breaking out their three-tight-end formations. Practically all of their wide receivers are banged up.

2. Defensive end Nick Bosa

Hasn't practiced in more than three weeks. Didn't even show up to watch practice from the sideline. Either he's extremely unhappy with his contract and is holding in for an extension, or his knee tendinitis is worse than the 49ers have let on. If he plays Week 1, it's fair to wonder how effective he'll be. He probably won't be in football shape, and new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris might not know how to use him. And without Bosa, the 49ers defense is in serious trouble. I don't think Morris has the chops to build a viable defense without his only effective edge rusher.

3. Defensive end Romello Height

Missed practice with an undisclosed injury. Which means both of the 49ers' primary edge rushers are injured. Not to mention Mykel Williams, their first-round pick from last year, who seems months away from returning from a torn ACL. I don't see how the defense can be good without a legitimate edge rush.

4. Linebacker Fred Warner

Nearly knocked out Kaelon Black with a vicious helmet-to-helmet hit. Remember, Warner knocked out Renardo Green from the joint practice against the Chargers a few days ago, and knocked out Jordan James for three weeks after punching him when he wasn't wearing pads and breaking his ribs. Warner has been out of control all of camp. And he has been loud, too. You frequently can hear him taunting the offense. So today, Purdy completed a pass right over Warner's head, then immediately screamed an obscenity at Warner. I didn't know Purdy uses words like that. Afterward, Warner walked over to Purdy and they appeared to hash things out.

5. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris

He's trying to install so many new things, and he doesn't currently have the personnel to pull off any of them. To be fair, his players do a good job aggressively breaking on intermediate passes over the middle, but they can't seem to stop anything else. Today, Morris kept using a defense with five defensive linemen, one linebacker and five defensive backs. And it couldn't stop anything -- not the run or the pass. On third down, he wants to be aggressive and blitz. This just leaves his subpar safeties one on one against superior players. And if the blitz doesn't get to the quarterback right away, which it usually doesn't, the defense gives up huge catches. I have a feeling this defense will struggle big time this season.

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