49ers’ Smith eager to get reps with top three WRs

By Danny Dabiri  |   Tuesday, June 12, 2007  |  Comments( 21 )

San Francisco 49ers
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The 49ers concluded their first week of OTAs last week, and quarterback Alex Smith told reporters that he felt great on the field.

Absent from the field were his three primary receiving targets. Wideout Darrell Jackson will not participate with the team until training camp as he continues to recover from an injured toe that has plagued him since last season. Receivers Ashley Lelie (quad) and Arnaz Battle (hamstring) missed the last few days of OTAs for precautionary reasons.

Despite the absence of his main receivers, Smith was on target and established a good rhythm with the players at his disposal. He was particularly impressed with Bryan Gilmore and Taylor Jacobs, completing a 30-yard pass to each of them. Although establishing a connection with his backup receivers is a good thing, Smith understands the importance of developing a solid rapport with his primary targets.

"It's hard because I'll need those reps with those guys, but we do have plenty of time still in training camp," said Smith.

Heading into his third season as the 49ers' signal-caller, Smith -- the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft -- has yet to find a receiver whom he can depend on regularly. In his first two seasons, Smith hasn't had a single receiver gain more than 733 yards, a number that former 49ers Brandon Lloyd (2005) and Antonio Bryant (2006) accumulated.

The most obvious choice from this year's group is the veteran Jackson, but that is contingent on him getting and staying healthy. He had three 1,000-yard seasons during his stint with the Seattle Seahawks and provides Smith with his most proven wideout to date.

As a former first-round pick in 2002, Lelie is widely viewed as an underachiever. He had only one 1,000-yard season with the Denver Broncos in 2004, but his production has dropped each year since. He has an opportunity to turn his career around with the 49ers. He'll offer Smith a legitimate deep threat.

Battle has increased his production every year. In 2006, he achieved career highs in receptions (59) and receiving yards (686), and he should continue to be a solid option for Smith.

When Smith has the opportunity to work with these three players, San Francisco's offense should become much more efficient. One thing's for sure: Smith is looking forward to having these guys back on the field.

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CommentsComments: 21  |  Sign Up  View all comments
No.1
jeremy		02:24 AM
06/12/2007
Im so happy to see Alex Smith taken that role in saying he is ready to get the reps with the new wideouts. It also good to see...
No.2
lou		09:24 AM
06/12/2007
Its great that we have some legitimate starters at WR. And its good to see that we have some nice talent in backup roles....
No.3
Mike		10:32 AM
06/12/2007
I think Jackson w/b alright. This is a good time for healing & getting as close to 100% as possible. He's a successful Vet &...
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