So much of the chatter around the 49ers at training camp has surrounded a critical defensive lineman who is not on the practice field. On Tuesday it was the newest big-ticket addition to that vaunted defensive front who stole the show.

While the wait goes on to see when Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa will be signed to a contract extension, the already handsomely paid Javon Hargrave demonstrated why the 49ers made the shock decision to add him to their defensive tackle group

The four-year, $84 million contract Hargrave signed was not one the NFL world expected, the 49ers landing a player who has the talent to transform San Francisco's interior pass rush and take an already formidable D-Line to even greater heights.

His potential influence was clear for all to see as the defense dominated the 49ers' final training camp practice before they head on the road for joint practices and a preseason game against the Raiders.

49ers Training Camp: Key Takeaways from Day 11

QBs kept quiet amid receiver drops

For the second successive practice, San Francisco’s quarterbacks found themselves struggling to complete passes in the face of the 49ers’ excellent defense.

Brock Purdy was nine of 16, Trey Lance went four of eight and Sam Darnold went five of nine with an interception, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Yet there were two key factors hindering the quarterbacks in Tuesday's practice. The first is that the move-the-ball period was focused primarily on third-and-long situations, increasing the difficultly level. The second: a series of drops from the 49er pass-catchers.

The 49ers were reported to have committed six drops, their struggles holding on to the ball overshadowing impressive throws such as a Purdy deep out to Brandon Aiyuk.

Those drops were especially prevalent among the second-stringers working with Lance and Darnold, the latter seeing Willie Snead IV and Ronnie Bell let the ball fall to the turf on back-to-back plays.

Worryingly, the player most at fault was one of the 49ers' top draft picks, with San Francisco's rookie class experiencing mixed fortunes.

Brown picks off Darnold, Latu laments drops

The least sure-handed player at practice was rookie tight end Cameron Latu.

Latu was one of three players picked in the third round by the 49ers in this year's draft. However, seventh-rounder Brayden Willis has outperformed him in the battle to be George Kittle's immediate backup, and Latu's pair of drops will not have helped his cause.

"The drops are on me. It's unacceptable," Latu told reporters after practice. "I've got to get on the JUGS machine… It's unacceptable to drop any pass."

While Latu had difficulties hauling in passes, the 49ers' top pick Ji'Ayir Brown made sure to hang on to what most reporters recorded as the first interception thrown by Darnold in camp.

Brown consistently got his hands on the ball during the offseason program, but this was his first pick of training camp, with the man likely to be the 49ers' long-term starter at free safety delivering a reminder of the playmaking ability that convinced San Francisco to use its first third-rounder on him.

Their second third-round pick of the 2023 draft, kicker Jake Moody, also impressed, hitting a pair of 60-yarders as he showed off the leg that swayed the Niners to make the most contentious pick of their draft. It's a pick there will be no complaints about if he continues to make those kicks with such accuracy.

Javon just the ticket for IDL

There was an additional reason for Purdy only completing just over 50 percent of passes and that was the aforementioned Hargrave.

Hargrave feasted on an interior offensive line missing left guard Aaron Banks because of a concussion. Nick Wagoner of ESPN credited Hargrave with two sacks of Purdy, adding that he looks every bit a $20 million a year defensive tackle.

Such reports give confidence he will maintain the contract-year form he displayed last season for the Eagles when racking up 11 sacks in 2022.

With Bosa still to return whenever he agrees a contract extension with the 49ers, Arik Armstead showing signs of carrying his strong post-injury finish to last season into 2023 and the likes of Javon Kinlaw and Clelin Ferrell standing out in practice, a slightly revamped defensive line group could be just as devastating as anticipated.

There were also more promising signs in the defensive backfield. Charvarius Ward enjoyed an excellent first season with the 49ers and on Tuesday had success locking down both Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel with tight coverage.

Ward and Deommodore Lenoir will be expected to make further strides as an outside cornerback duo that showed great promise last season. With stacks of talent up front and an exciting partnership at the premium position on the back end, a 49er defense that also has the best linebacker duo in the NFL is positioned to maintain its status as the league's elite unit.

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The 49ers will fly to Vegas on Tuesday. They then have a day off on Wednesday before a pair of joint practices with the Raiders in Henderson, Nev. 

San Francisco faces Las Vegas in its exhibition opener on Sunday.

George Kittle just wants the bare minimum from the quarterback position

The tight end’s frustration is very evident.

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