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Managing the practice field during an NFL training camp is always a delicate balance, but for San Francisco 49ers offensive line coach and run game coordinator Chris Foerster, the puzzle has become particularly complex.
Ahead of Wednesday’s session, four more players were added to the medical report, pushing the total number of sidelined or limited players near 23 when factoring in long-term injured reserve list additions. To put that number into perspective, that is roughly a full 22-man starting unit on offense and defense combined watching practice from the sidelines.
The shortage of healthy bodies has directly impacted Foerster’s ability to experiment with interior offensive line combinations.
The original coaching plan called for rotating Robert Jones and rookie Carver Willis at left guard alongside the starting unit, allowing Connor Colby to soak up reps at right guard. However, those plans hit an immediate snag when Willis entered concussion protocol and veteran Brett Toth went down with an undisclosed injury.
"The plan was to give [Robert Jones] some left guard work, see him against different people. I wanted to give Connor some work at right guard and I was going to split Carver and Rob at the left guard spot," Foerster explained after practice. "Carver is in concussion protocol. Then Toth gets hurt... I was going to do a lot more interior-wise, but it didn't work out with the injuries."
Ultimately, Foerster was forced to scale back his rotation, keeping Jones primarily aligned at left guard.
Despite the growing list of absentees, Foerster dismissed any notion that San Francisco might consider canceling its upcoming joint practice sessions ahead of the preseason opener.
"It's yet to come up in anything I've heard," Foerster said when asked if joint sessions were in jeopardy. "Doesn't mean it hasn't been discussed, but shoot, I think we'll have plenty of players."
Foerster maintained that bumps and bruises are simply the price of admission for establishing a physical identity in August.
"If you're not practicing football hard, you can get through camp easily without injuries, a couple of muscles here and there," Foerster emphasized. "But if you're practicing hitting, contact, style of football, whatever it is—so yeah, that's not come up at this point."
Foerster also highlighted the team's strategic caution with healthy core veterans. All-Pro offensive tackle Trent Williams, who is fully healthy, remains on a strict pitch count to preserve his body for the long haul.
In summarizing the team's philosophy regarding practice loads, Foerster delivered a memorable reminder of the big picture:
"You always have to be careful that reps in July don't take away from reps in January."
While nearly a quarter of the 90-man roster is managing various levels of soreness or strains, the coaching staff remains confident that these early August adjustments will pay dividends when the games truly count.
Continue reading...
Ahead of Wednesday’s session, four more players were added to the medical report, pushing the total number of sidelined or limited players near 23 when factoring in long-term injured reserve list additions. To put that number into perspective, that is roughly a full 22-man starting unit on offense and defense combined watching practice from the sidelines.
Foerster's Interior Line Plans Disrupted
The shortage of healthy bodies has directly impacted Foerster’s ability to experiment with interior offensive line combinations.
The original coaching plan called for rotating Robert Jones and rookie Carver Willis at left guard alongside the starting unit, allowing Connor Colby to soak up reps at right guard. However, those plans hit an immediate snag when Willis entered concussion protocol and veteran Brett Toth went down with an undisclosed injury.
"The plan was to give [Robert Jones] some left guard work, see him against different people. I wanted to give Connor some work at right guard and I was going to split Carver and Rob at the left guard spot," Foerster explained after practice. "Carver is in concussion protocol. Then Toth gets hurt... I was going to do a lot more interior-wise, but it didn't work out with the injuries."
Ultimately, Foerster was forced to scale back his rotation, keeping Jones primarily aligned at left guard.
Joint Practices and the Cost of Physicality
Despite the growing list of absentees, Foerster dismissed any notion that San Francisco might consider canceling its upcoming joint practice sessions ahead of the preseason opener.
"It's yet to come up in anything I've heard," Foerster said when asked if joint sessions were in jeopardy. "Doesn't mean it hasn't been discussed, but shoot, I think we'll have plenty of players."
Foerster maintained that bumps and bruises are simply the price of admission for establishing a physical identity in August.
"If you're not practicing football hard, you can get through camp easily without injuries, a couple of muscles here and there," Foerster emphasized. "But if you're practicing hitting, contact, style of football, whatever it is—so yeah, that's not come up at this point."
Managing Veterans: July vs. January
Foerster also highlighted the team's strategic caution with healthy core veterans. All-Pro offensive tackle Trent Williams, who is fully healthy, remains on a strict pitch count to preserve his body for the long haul.
In summarizing the team's philosophy regarding practice loads, Foerster delivered a memorable reminder of the big picture:
"You always have to be careful that reps in July don't take away from reps in January."
While nearly a quarter of the 90-man roster is managing various levels of soreness or strains, the coaching staff remains confident that these early August adjustments will pay dividends when the games truly count.
Continue reading...
