© Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
Whenever training camp rolls around, you know you’re due for some all-time NFL platitudes about how “iron sharpens iron.” The thing about those corny sayings is that they’re invariably always true. And when you’re battling an All-Pro everyday like Samson Ebukam is, there’s no way not to get sharper.
Samson Ebukam’s gauntlet of one: The Trent Williams Experience
Trent Williams is a very large, very athletic man. He’s arguably the best left tackle in the NFL and inarguably one of the best left tackles in NFL history. He looks every bit like himself so far.
On Thursday, the 49ers’ second day of practice, Anthony Zettel had the misfortune of facing him. He tried to get into his bag, pulling out whatever he had to try to get by Williams. Williams, without looking the least bit concerned, simply sat Zettel down to a chorus of “oohs” and laughter — not at Zettel, but just at how easy it was for Williams to stuff him, and just about every defensive lineman who has to try him.
With Dee Ford and Nick Bosa still limited to individual drills and Bosa on a maintenance, non-participation day on Friday, Samson Ebukam has been the worthiest candidate to try and beat Williams. Long story short, he’s not winning many of those battles, and that can be taxing.
Asked about facing Williams on Friday, Ebukam took a long sigh. He was brutally honest about how difficult it his to face a likely future Hall of Famer who knows exactly what’s in Ebukam’s arsenal, but how that’s also invaluable.
“He’s a dog, man. It’s so exhausting trying to rush against him every single play,” Ebukam said. “I’m running out of moves to throw at him.”
“It’s good though, going up against him every day, win or loss, I’m always learning something from the film. So I just kind of take the leash off and just go after it and whatever happens, happens. Everything else is gonna be corrected in film, but I like going against him the whole time because I always got to be on my toes, and most of time he already knows exactly what I’m about to do, so I just got to be comfortable with being uncomfortable.”
Update and some clarity on vaccinations
We’re at a pretty nebulous stage of the NFL season. Kyle Shanahan revealed Friday that there are just five 49ers players who are yet to be vaccinated, which includes Nick Bosa, who indicated Thursday that he is still evaluating the choice to get vaccinated.
There has, however, been some confusion, which is partially the fault of the media. There have been myriad players, beyond five, who are wearing masks during 49ers practice when they remove their helmets and in their in-person media availabilities. Jason Verrett and Bosa were the first two players to appear wearing masks at their availabilities.
All players can obviously choose to wear a mask voluntarily, though it is an unlikely and tedious choice to have to take off and put on a mask during and in-between workouts. Protocols are explained a bit more below.
Initially, it seemed that Verrett was also unvaccinated. That could be the case, but looking at what Verrett said in the context of comments from both Brandon Aiyuk and Mohamed Sanu, who appeared before media on Friday, it’s important to clarify some things.
“That’s just something that we’re still kind of working through,” Verrett said on Wednesday, when asked about his vaccination status. “That’s all I can answer.”
That’s very similar to Brandon Aiyuk’s answer on Friday before media, when he wore a face covering.
“I’m still working through the vaccine situation,” Aiyuk said. “Still working towards that.”
Sanu followed Aiyuk, wearing a mask. He said that he had received his first vaccine dose and would receive a second dose in about a week. What that clarified is that Verrett and Aiyuk may also both be in the process of getting vaccinated, as well as the majority of the other players who wear masks.
Players who are not yet fully vaccinated (which, whether it’s the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna, or one-dose Johnson and Johnson, means 14 days after the final shot, according to NFL protocols) have to wear their masks in a variety of settings, essentially whenever they are not actively playing football and wearing their helmet.
The league’s protocols separate players based on being fully vaccinated and non-fully vaccinated, so players who are even 13 days after their second shot would be subject to the same rules as players who have not received a single vaccine dose.
So, to be clear, we don’t know for a fact that Verrett or Aiyuk are vaccinated or unvaccinated, but Aiyuk’s answer intimated that he is likely in the process of getting fully vaccinated — especially given the context of only five players being fully unvaccinated. Verrett’s answer was similar to Aiyuk’s.
An apology is owed to Verrett for a misunderstanding, on my part, of the league’s rules on which players must remain masked and which ones can operate without them. Yesterday’s story suggested Verrett was likely unvaccinated due to him wearing a mask and his answer. A fairer assessment is that he is likely non-fully vaccinated.
Only players can confirm their vaccination status.
Here is some context for the constraints that non-fully vaccinated players face (the full protocols can be found here). They must remain masked while lifting, at walkthroughs and stretching; effectively whenever they’re not actually playing football.
Protocols remain stiffest for unvaccinated players, who must wear masks at all times: 1) while lifting in the weight room; 2) at walkthroughs; and 3) at practice, including warmups/stretch, “except when doing so would interfere with their ability to engage in athletic activity”.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) July 28, 2021
If this coverage of players’ vaccination statuses feels odds, well, it is. But reporting, at least to some extent, who is vaccinated versus non-fully vaccinated or completely unvaccinated is unfortunately necessary due to the fact that players who are unvaccinated are far likelier to contract and spread COVID-19, and get sicker from it. That’s important as cases rise rapidly nationwide due to the extremely contagious Delta variant. Even without respect to league protocols, that’s potentially hazardous to other players, coaches, staffers, family members, everyone.
It is also crucial in the NFL arena given that unvaccinated players who contract the virus will miss more time due to protocols and potential illness, and if games must be rescheduled due to a COVID-19 outbreak among non-fully vaccinated players, the NFL has said it will force that team to forfeit. There are tangible, direct competitive consequences to remaining unvaccinated.
Other notes: Injury updates, Lance’s self-criticism, and Marcell Harris the linebacker
- Injury updates: Both Nick Bosa and Jalen Hurd were not present in Friday’s practice for what Kyle Shanahan termed a scheduled “maintenance” day. Maurice Hurst was on hand, but didn’t participate in practice due to a “slight ankle” injury and is day-to-day, while MyCole Pruitt suffered a calf injury and will “be out for a little bit.”
- Trey Lance’s self-criticism: Lance, as we looked at in Friday’s practice roundup, had his worst day thus far. Kyle Shanahan described Lance as very harsh on himself, but as being impressed by how he doesn’t change his approach after poor throws.
“You don’t have to get on him too much,” Shanahan said. “When he doesn’t have a good throw, he knows that as much as anyone. I just like that he keeps firing it.”
- Marcell Harris, linebacker: The 49ers started to get a little tricky with some of their defensive alignments last season, with some of that featuring Marcell Harris, previously used as a strong safety, in a quasi-linebacker role. So far, Harris has operated entirely as a linebacker and has excelled, looking more comfortable in coverage, which is where he’s previously struggled. It’s early, but it seems that taking him out of a center fielder role, and letting him play closer to the ball might pay dividends.