The latter stages of the 49ers’ two-hour practice tonight at Levi’s Stadium were conducted at half-speed, but a team official said the slow pace was due to the team’s shortage of inside linebacker and not concerns about the condition of the grass field.
The 49ers had just four inside linebackers and one was NaVorro Bowman, who was participating in his first padded practice since he sustained a severe knee injury in January 2014. Inside linebacker Philip Wheeler (muscle strain) and Nick Bellore (illness) were not available. Head coach Jim Tomsula has taken pains to guard against injuries and fatigue during training camp and he evidently didn’t want to have his remaining inside linebackers take an inordinate amount of snaps.