The San Francisco 49ers returned to the field on Monday for the first padded practice of 2025 training camp. With pads on and intensity up, today’s practice extended to 12 periods, making it the longest and most physical day of camp so far.

In the morning, the team announced the signing of veteran cornerback Eli Apple to a one-year deal. Apple, wearing No. 30, made his 49ers practice debut just moments after the transaction became official. To make room on the roster, the team released wide receiver Quintez Cephus.

Key Takeaways from Day 5

Injury Updates:

• Several players remained sidelined with injuries, including WR Jauan Jennings (calf), WR Jacob Cowing (hamstring), and CB Renardo Green (hamstring).
• Defensive lineman Tarron Jackson, who suffered a neck injury on Friday, was discharged from the hospital last night and rejoined the team today. He will continue to be evaluated by the medical staff.

Practice Notes:

• With pads on for the first time, the team opened its initial round of one-on-one drills, giving fans an up-close look at top-tier matchups. Those in attendance were treated to elite battles, like seeing DL Nick Bosa line up across from T Trent Williams.
• Rookie DL C.J. West stood out in his first padded reps. West consistently disrupted his matchups with quickness and power.
  • “He’s like a little fire hydrant, right?” Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. “He’s powerful. He’s got heavy hands… I heard he did a really nice job over there, I’m excited to get to the tape to see it.”
• On the offensive line, Nick Zakelj and Dominick Puni held their own and showcased their strength throughout pass protection reps.
• Rookie CB Upton Stout made the defensive play of the day during team drills, running step-for-step with WR Ricky Pearsall on a deep route before knocking away a pass from QB Brock Purdy.
  • “He’s a sharp kid,” Saleh said. “It’s definitely not too big for him… We’ll push the envelope, but never too far to where he can’t execute his job.”
• CB Dallis Flowers drew applause from Saleh for a clean one-on-one rep and DB Deommodore Lenoir continues to assert himself as a tone-setter in the secondary.
  • “I think a dog is the right word,” Saleh said when describing Lenoir. “The guy has no fear. He asks the right questions in meetings. He’s fearless at the line of scrimmage. He’s fearless in coverage. He’s fearless in the box to go make tackles. He’s a dude. He wants all the smoke of every number one receiver in football. He’ll back it up. He talks about it, backs it up. He’s our kind of guy.”
• Safety Jason Pinnock, a free-agent addition who previously played under Saleh with the New York Jets, has also been impressing early.
  • “JP’s familiar with the system,” Saleh noted. “He’s got great athleticism, length and he’s very smart.”
  • Pinnock added after practice: “I’m back in the system that I’m used to. It’s not too much adjustment, honestly… The game is slowing down and now I’m able to show my explosiveness and athletic ability.”

• TE George Kittle delivered the top offensive play of the day, catching a short pass from Purdy before turning upfield and outrunning defenders for a would-be touchdown.
• RB Christian McCaffrey looked sharp in both the run and pass game. The padded practice made it even more evident how effectively he reads blocks and finds cutback lanes. He also impressed with a toe-tap sideline catch.
• QB Tanner Mordecai continued to build chemistry with WR Isaiah Neyor, forming a solid “14-to-14” connection. Neyor made several grabs during team drills and consistently found ways to get open against coverage.

What’s Next

The team will return for another padded practice tomorrow, Tuesday, before taking a scheduled off day on Wednesday. Training camp resumes with another open session on Thursday as the 49ers continue to ramp up padded practices, evaluate position battles, and prepare for the preseason opener versus the Denver Broncos.