A.J. Jenkins is coming off of two strong practices.
Said OC Greg Roman: "A.J. I thought, the last two days of last week (OTA) had the best two days he's had since I've been here. Quinton Patton and Ricardo Lockette - they're all stepping up. And it's just going to be a continuing process. We're trying to get these guys ready for training camp to come in compete and win a job. And it's happening."
How did Jenkins stand out on Wednesday and Thursday? "Oh, just made some clutch catches for us moving the ball," Roman said. "Just made plays, did all the right things, made plays when he had the opportunity. And he just needs to continue to do that."
Said HC Jim Harbaugh: "Thought A.J. had his best week of football since he's been a 49er the last four days of OTAs. And he continues to build on that. ... Anybody that's going from Year 1 to Year 2, it's a great window of opportunity to improve in the kind of fashion that you'll never have again in your career. Because you're going from doing things for the first time to now everything that you do, you've already done."
Jenkins is a player to watch as the 49ers scramble to fill the hole left by the injured Michael Crabtree. We believe a larger, more consistent role for Vernon Davis may be in the works, but someone needs to start opposite Anquan Boldin. When Jim Harbaugh was asked whether he expects WR Mario Manningham to be ready for regular season, he said, "At some point." So it doesn't appear Manningham will be ready for the start of camp.