Football
21y

Garcia to skip Niners' exhibition opener with sore back

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Quarterback Jeff Garcia will skip the
San Francisco 49ers' exhibition opener on Saturday to rest his sore
back.

Garcia, a three-time Pro Bowler, hurt his back in a workout a
few days before training camp began. He had been participating in
nearly every practice at camp until Tuesday, when his back got
stiff again.

After Garcia skipped the 49ers' morning practice on Wednesday,
coach Dennis Erickson decided to keep him out of the team's first
exhibition in Kansas City.

"We've been out here a lot of days and a lot of practices, and
it stiffened up on him a little bit," Erickson said. "We've just
got to be careful with it. He never had a problem with it, and all
of a sudden yesterday it bothered him.

"Maybe it's a good thing in that he'll be able to realize what
he can and can't do to have himself ready physically to play."

Garcia passed for 3,344 yards and 21 touchdowns last season
while leading San Francisco to the NFC West title and the second
round of the playoffs. He has made the last three Pro Bowls.

But Garcia's absence in the preseason could be a good thing for
the 49ers, who must evaluate a lively quarterback derby for the
backup spots.

Tim Rattay, Garcia's seldom-used backup for the past two
seasons, will start against the Chiefs. Rattay was 26-of-43 for 232
yards and two TDs last season, but he has played almost nothing but
mop-up minutes in his NFL career.

"I'm a big Tim Rattay fan," Erickson said. "I'm really
impressed with him. It's hard to find any negatives, other than he
hasn't played. He's got a tremendous arm."

Rattay will give way to promising third-stringer Brandon Doman
during the second quarter, and rookie Ken Dorsey probably will get
his first NFL snaps in the fourth quarter. Unless Rattay seriously
falters, Doman and Dorsey are fighting for one roster spot -- though
the 49ers have said they might keep all four quarterbacks.

Garcia probably won't even make the trip to Kansas City with his
teammates. He won't practice again until Monday, and Erickson
thinks he'll be ready to play in San Francisco's home exhibition
against Oakland on Thursday.

All-Pro receiver Terrell Owens skipped another workout on
Wednesday morning to rest his sore groin, but Erickson expected him
to practice and play later in the week. Owens also missed Tuesday's
workouts.

A third Pro Bowler also might miss Saturday's game. Center
Jeremy Newberry has a torn ligament in his ankle, and the 49ers
plan to limit his exhibition action to keep him ready for the
regular season.

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