SANTA CLARA — Christian McCaffrey blasted out of the backfield and put a move on linebacker Dee Winters to shake free.
Quarterback Brock Purdy then delivered the on-the-mark pass to McCaffrey, who made the catch and turned up field.
The return of McCaffrey in practices this week during organized team activities is a huge development for a team that rarely saw their star running back take the field a year ago.
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SIGN UP HERE “Right now, he’s as healthy as can be,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said of McCaffrey. “We got to kind of protect him from himself. But Christian has a good idea of what he needs to do right now.
“He’s doing a lot less than he normally would do. But I know he’s excited about how healthy he feels and the fact that he can get out there.”
McCaffrey had a lighter workload with the one reception and a couple of three carries during a workout that lasted just over an hour on the team’s practice field.
After being named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2023, McCaffrey last season was relegated to just four games due to injuries. He missed all of training camp and the first eight games of the regular season with Achilles tendinitis in both legs. Then, he sustained a non-surgical knee injury that ended his season.
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Here are other news and notes from 49ers practice on Thursday, which was open to the local media:
— Wide receiver Jauan Jennings is the clear No. 1 target of Purdy on the practice field. Jennings caught a handful of passes, including a deep ball down the left sideline over cornerback Renardo Green.
— That came one play after Green broke up a pass intended for veteran receiver Demarcus Robinson. Cornerbacks Deommodore Lenoir and Dallis Flowers also broke up passes during practice.
— The defensive play of the day came late in practice. Nick Bosa pressured Purdy, who broke out of the pocket and rolled to his left. Purdy tried to fit a pass into tight end George Kittle. But former Seahawks cornerback Tre Brown made the leaping interception.
— Linebacker Fred Warner is healthy but is not taking part in practices. The 49ers’ top linebackers on this day were Dee Winters, Luke Gifford and Tatum Bethune.
— Left tackle Trent Williams did not participate in practice. He reported for the opening of Phase I of the offseason program but has not been in Santa for a couple of weeks, Shanahan said. Williams is expected back soon, Shanahan said.
— Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall is sidelined with a hamstring injury. He was seen going through physical therapy on a side field. Pearsall is expected to be healthy soon, Shanahan said, but will not take part in OTAs or the team’s mandatory minicamp.
— Safety Ji’Ayir Brown underwent an ankle procedure in the offseason. He will not be available until training camp, Shanahan said.
— Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos did not attend practice due to the birth of his child on Wednesday, Shanahan said.
— Defensive tackle Alfred Collins and safety Marques Sigle will not be available until training camp. Both had conditions the 49ers knew about before they were drafted, Shanahan said.