San Francisco 49ers: Primer for 2016 Training Camp

The San Francisco 49ers players will report to the first day of training camp on Saturday, July 30. The first on-field practice will be the next day, and the first padded practice is allowed on Tuesday, August 2.

Oct 18, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers fans celebrate after a 49ers score against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Ravens 25-20. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

Well, we have less than two weeks to go before the start of training camp! Our football hiatus is nearly over with and we can look forward to seeing our favorite players back on the field. We also will be watching several “camp battles,” which will determine who will be starting for the San Francisco 49ers at certain positions.

I don’t know about you, but it has been a long seven-month wait for me to see 49ers football again! After last year’s dismal performance, there is better hope going into the 2016 season. With a (hopefully) much more competent coaching staff, and several new players, 2016 promises to be an intriguing one for us fans.

But where the feet hit the pavement first is at training camp. The 49ers report to camp on July 30. Per NFL collective bargaining agreement, there cannot be any on-field activity on this first day (only conditioning drills are allowed).

July 31 will be the team’s first full-squad practice. On Tuesday, August 2 the players can practice in full pads for the first time.

In case you are wondering what the practice rules are, here is a copy of these rules and limitations which must be followed, per David Fucillo of Niners Nation:

"(a) The first day of a Club’s preseason training camp shall be limited to physical examinations, meetings, and classroom instruction; no on-field activities shall be permitted other than running and conditioning. No contact shall be permitted and no pads shall be worn during the second and third days of Preseason Training Camp. Thereafter, two-a-day practices shall be permitted, subject to the following rules:(i) players may be on the field for a total of no more than four hours per day;(ii) players may participate in no more than one padded practice per day, which shall be no longer than three hours of on-field activities;(iii) there must be at least a three hour break after the practice; and(iv) the second practice on the same day may only be for a maximum of the remaining available on-field time, and shall be limited to only “walk-through” instruction (i.e., no helmets, full-speed pre-snap, and walking pace after the snap).The three-hour limit on padded practices shall begin as soon as position coaches begin to coach players on the field. The definition of a “padded practice” under this Article shall be the same as the definition used for regular season practices in Article 24, Section 1(c) of this Agreement. In the event that a Club begins a padded practice but such practice is cancelled within sixty minutes of its commencement due to inclement weather or for any other reason beyond the Club’s control, such practice shall not count as a padded practice under this Article or Article 24."

Some major questions need to be answered during this camp.

Who will be the starting quarterback? Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick? Who will be the starting wide receivers after Torrey Smith? Who will be the starting tight ends? Does Bruce Miller make the position adjustment a success?

Other storylines to be watching for is who will be the primary pass-rusher in the absence of Aaron Lynch? Will it be Ahmad Brooks or a rush-by-committee approach? What position will Jimmie Ward be playing? Which rookies will make the final roster? Can the 49ers offense finally score some touchdowns?

This training camp (and the ensuring preseason games) will be critical for this 49ers squad. The offense needs to show it knows head coach Chip Kelly’s game plan, and can run it at the right tempo without giving away false start and delay of game penalties.

The defense needs to show the conditioning so it can stay competitive with the offense and can still make plays.

Another interesting question is whether the 49ers defensive rookies can have any kind of impact and how much they see the field.

If you are local to Santa Clara, you will get to see these competitions firsthand. And you will be able to see an open practice at the old home of 49ers football — Kezar Stadium, the home of the 49ers from 1946-1970.

If you have been to this stadium before, you will surely be brought down memory lane. If you want to go, the practice is on Wednesday, August 10 from 11:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. (local time), per Matt Maiocco of CSN Bay Area.

The 49ers want to celebrate their 70th year anniversary in style.

“As we laid out our plans to celebrate 70 storied years of 49ers football, the idea of bringing the team back to its original home for a practice session in front of our great fans in the heart of San Francisco was the idea we found most exciting,” 49ers president Al Guido said in a statement via Maiocco. “Returning to the team’s roots at Kezar will make for a special day not only for our fans, but also the team.”

Additionally if you have children, there will be a youth football exhibition from 10:30 a.m to 2:30 p.m. open to all ages.

If you are interested in getting tickets to this practice, go to www.49ers.com/trainingcamp.

The 49ers players will get their first look at opposition players prior to their Week 1 preseason game versus the Houston Texans in one joint practice, which Fucillo listed to be likely Friday, August 12.

The 49ers play their preseason opener against the Texans at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday, August 14 at 7:00 p.m. ET.

The team will also hold two joint practices with the Denver Broncos in Denver likely to be August 17 and August 18, with the game on August 20 at 6:00 p.m. local time.

The 49ers conclude their preseason schedule with matchups versus the Green Bay Packers and the San Diego Chargers.

On the Tuesday after the third preseason game against the Packers, the team must make the first round of cuts down to 75 players. After the next Saturday, rosters must be cut down to the final 53 players.

More from Niner Noise

Whilst you are watching training camp, keep in mind how quickly the 49ers offense gets in and out of the huddle and how reactionary the 49ers defense is in regards to this. You will also want to watch how the bubble players perform during the padded practices after August 2. This is the true test to see how each individual performs when the heat is at it’s highest.

Who rises to the challenge, and who fails, will very likely be the players who will (and won’t) make the final squad.

By the end of the preseason, we may have a good gauge on how the final 49ers roster may do in 2016. Already a young team, the mix of this youth with the veterans will be an interesting storyline to follow.

So you have 12 days to get ready for training camp. Are you ready?

Next: San Francisco 49ers: Predicting Each Rookie's Role in 2016

All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and Sports-Reference.com unless otherwise indicated.