Kyle Shanahan explains when training camp gets real for 49ers

The 49ers on Sunday have their first day off of training camp. They had a block of four practices, and then a day off Sunday before getting back to on-field work Monday. Monday the pads come on, and that’s when practice gets real.

It’s not that padless practices to open camp are meaningless, but head coach Kyle Shanahan after Saturday’s session said coaches try not to take too much from the padless portion.

“You try not to make big judgements as a coach until the pads get on, because things get a lot realer when that happens,” Shanahan said.

This is true for all positions since ability to play with and through contact can make or break a player in the NFL. It’s especially true in the trenches though where contact is an essential aspect of the offensive and defensive lines.

We’ll learn a lot about where the 49ers position battles stand and how well their rookies figure to hold up Monday when they take the field in pads for the first time.