ESPN NFC West Blog

Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando

	Kyle Terada/US Presswire
	Quarterback Alex Smith's surgically repaired shoulder has held up during training camp.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. --  The 49ers have finished their morning practice sessions. They worked at what appeared to be more of a regular-season tempo and intensity, what players refer to as "thud" work. Defenders pursued hard to the ball, but they did not finish plays the way they would during a game.

I watched the offense closely today. Here are a few observations, offered with full knowledge that it's tough to draw conclusions based on a few summer practices:

• The 49ers continue to grind through the installation process under new coordinator Mike Martz, giving the appearance at times that things are dragging. A veteran offense would work with a faster and more decisive tempo, in other words.
• If the 49ers have leaders on offense, they don't stand out through body language or being vocal. Isaac Bruce has taken the lead in helping teammate learn the system. From the sideline, I didn't see anyone taking charge on the field.
• Martz is very involved in tutoring players individually apart from the team periods. He doesn't just tell players what to do. He tells them why they should do it. He quizzes players during practice, on the spot, to make sure they understand the concepts behind spacing, alignment and those sorts of things. Martz kept his distance during team drills, as if taking it all in. I would think he'll stand closer to the action once the 49ers enter the game-planning stage.
• Alex Smith is not perfect out there -- he still misses on short, quick throws -- but it's tough to find evidence that Shaun Hill is a factor in the competition at quarterback. Smith is the one coming off shoulder surgery, but Hill is the one with the rubber arm at this point in camp. Coaches replaced him with J.T. O'Sullivan at one point because Hill's arm was wearing down, coach Mike Nolan said.
• I see no obvious evidence the 49ers are making a concerted effort to tailor the passing game for tight end Vernon Davis. I'm hesitant to read too much into that because Martz continues to install the offense; this might not be the time to get that specific. I asked Nolan after practice whether it's tough to get the ball to Davis given such limitations. Nolan dismissed the notion. He even said it's easy to get the ball to Davis given how many reps they have in practice. Davis caught three passes during the entire morning practice, and at least one of those was obviously on a check-down after Smith exhausted other options.
• Jason Hill, Delanie Walker and Dominique Zeigler dropped passes today. Nolan remains high on Hill and rookie Josh Morgan as candidates for the No. 4 receiving job, but that competition will have to sort itself out.
• The 49ers roster I made available last night showed Moran Norris as the starting fullback -- he has started 12 games over the last two seasons -- but Zak Keasey's abilities on special teams might provide some roster security. I need to better understand how Martz views the position before taking this conversation much further. Could a tight end such as Billy Bajema fill the role?
• Safety Michael Lewis and running back DeShaun Foster have plenty of fight in them. Teammates had a hard time breaking up their midpractice brawl.
• Defensive end Ray McDonald knifed into the backfield to disrupt a play. He remains a player to watch this summer. He works hard but could become more consistent. Justin Smith sets the standard for the 49ers' big defenders on that front.

Those were a few things that stood out at practice today. I'll be speaking with Martz at some point later in the day. That should be the highlight of the day from 49ers camp.