SANTA CLARA — The 49ers did not escape the first day of training camp without any injuries.
And, on Monday, there was a brief scare when rookie defensive end Romello Height was lifted onto a cart and driven off the practice field.
The 49ers quickly announced that Height, a third-round draft pick, experienced cramps. The team’s athletic training camp appeared to be massaging Height’s right leg and both shoulders as he remained down for six minutes.
Height appears to be OK, but the 49ers were not so fortunate with their injury situation from the first day of practice.
Vederian Lowe, whom the 49ers signed as a free agent to serve as the team’s backup at both offensive tackle spots, sustained a high ankle sprain, the team disclosed.
Lowe is expected to miss considerable practice time in training camp. The 49ers signed Lowe to be a backup to left tackle Trent Williams and right tackle Colton McKivitz.
Lowe started 25 games over the past three seasons with the New England Patriots. The 49ers signed him to a two-year, $9.25 million contract in the offseason.
His absence should provide more practice time for rookie Enrique Cruz, a fifth-round pick from Kansas.
Austen Pleasants, who started one game last season in place of Williams, typically works at both tackle spots.
Wide receiver Christian Kirk and defensive tackle Gracen Halton also are sidelined with injuries sustained in the first day of camp.
Kirk left practice midway through Sunday’s session with a calf strain. Halton was diagnosed with a bone bruise of his knee. Both will be out indefinitely.
Defensive lineman Andrew Farmer will undergo further evaluation for a back condition.
Offensive play of the day
Rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling has gotten off the ground with a couple of solid days on the practice field.
Stribling, the 33rd overall pick in the draft, caught four passes on Monday. His top play was a reception on a deep post pattern from backup quarterback Mac Jones. Stribling beat the coverage of Darrell Luter Jr. on the play.
Stribling got off to a good start on Day 2 with a nice grab along the sideline on a toss from Brock Purdy.
Defensive play of the day
Safety Ji’Ayir Brown finds himself in a battle to return to and remain in the 49ers’ starting lineup.
Brown is competing for a main role along with Malik Mustapha and Marques Sigle.
The fourth-year safety provided a takeaway against Purdy when he made a diving, finger-tip grab on a pass intended for receiver Jacob Cowing.
Brown entered the NFL as a third-round pick of the 49ers in 2023. He started 13 of the 17 games in which he appeared both in 2024 and ’25. He is in the final year of his rookie contract.
Competition to watch
Cornerbacks Renardo Green and Jack Jones are engaged in a legitimate competition for a starting job in the 49ers’ defensive backfield.
Green showed flashes in his first two NFL seasons. He just needs to demonstrate more consistency and urgency. Jones was a full-time starter the past two seasons with Las Vegas and Miami. He is looking for a permanent situation, and not just a one-year stop.
The 49ers expect Green to take his game to a higher level this season, as he enters his third NFL campaign. San Francisco selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
“He’s shown the ability to go out and play at an elite level,” defensive coordinator Raheem Morris said of Green. “He’s shown the ability to take it from the classroom to the field. He made a big-time play today.”
Green made an outstanding play when he made a perfectly timed move to break up Purdy’s pass intended for Cowing.
Morris highlighted Jones’ ability to make plays. But, he said, Jones also has been guilty of surrendering too many plays.
“That’s the biggest key,” Morris said. “When you play corner in this league, there will always be play (opportunities). You got to learn those play ops and when to take advantage of them. He’s one of those guys who can take advantage of them.”
In four NFL seasons, Jones has eight career interceptions, four of which he returned for touchdowns.
This ’n’ that
—Coach Kyle Shanahan was back on the practice field, taking his spot during 11-on-11 drills next to general manager John Lynch.
“You still got to show up and perform (because) you know your head coach is watching,” veteran cornerback Deommodore Lenoir said.
Shanahan, who sustained multiple injuries in a July 14 car accident in Palo Alto, has yet to be fully cleared from concussion symptoms. Shanahan sustained a broken nose, ribs and left hand.
Assistant head coach Chris Foerster is taking over many of the duties of the head coach, while delegating to the coordinators Morris, Klay Kubiak (offense) and Brant Boyer (special teams).
—As the 49ers try to develop a young running back who can do it all, there is no question that Christian McCaffrey still is the main man. McCaffrey had eight rushing attempts during the practice.
—Veteran cornerback Eli Apple registered an interception against quarterback Kurtis Rourke on a deep pass for Junior Bergen.
—Wide receiver Mike Evans caught a pass from Purdy on a slant. He bobbled a pass later in practice, and Luter swiped it away for a pass-breakup.
—After two days of practice, the 49ers will dial it back on Tuesday with what the team describes as a “jog through” practice. They are scheduled for a heavy workload on Wednesday.