Michael Crabtree has arrived in the Bay Area and some of his teammates are working out, but he has yet to join them in doing so. "It's still early, of course," Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee writes. "Most of the 49ers, including prominent members like Frank Gore and Vernon Davis, have not been part of that South Bay group. And if there's a report next week that Crabtree and Alex Smith were seen practicing together on a high school field, all of the current Crabtree angst will be forgotten and we will be singing his praises."

49ers rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick threw to teammates at player-only workouts in the San Jose area this week. Kaepernick first joined Wednesday's practice, but The Sacramento Bee said Friday's passing session marked his most intense activity yet since undergoing a procedure on his left leg after the 49ers selected him in the second round of last month's draft. He is the second 49ers rookie to work out with veterans after receiver Ronald Johnson, a sixth-round pick, practiced with teammates for 10 days soon after the draft.

Former 49ers running back Glen Coffee abruptly walked away from his NFL career in August, saying he wanted to focus on his Christian faith. Coffee still isn't enamored with the NFL lifestyle, but he won't rule out returning to the game. He is taking online classes at the University of Alabama, where he starred before going to the 49ers in the third round of the 2009 draft. Coffee's reasons for quitting have baffled many, but he told The Sacramento Bee this week that the NFL "ruins a lot of lives" and that he takes his cues from "the Lord." "People just keep asking me (why he quit the NFL), and it's like, 'OK, why are you asking me that?' " Coffee said. "And their No. 1 reason -- their only reason -- is money. It saddens me, man. If your only focus is money, you're going to be sorely disappointed. A lot of people, they chase money. And when they get the money they think, 'OK, what now? There's got to be more than what I'm feeling now?' ... "As far as the NFL goes, I have a hard time putting it like this because it sounds kind of harsh, but I feel like it ruins a lot of lives more than anything else. And that goes for people who have short careers in the NFL and long careers in the NFL. Because what happens is they see that as success. And money throughout your life has nothing to with your salvation in Christ. "A lot of players get that money. And they chase that money, man, and I feel that they're really missing the true meaning of life. So I'm constantly afraid for the NFL and the players, because kids growing up nowadays, they see that as the end all, be all. And that's just not the case."

Team officials aren't allowed to contact players during the lockout, but the NFL granted new 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh permission to personally congratulate his QB on the birth of his first child. Harbaugh visited Alex Smith and his wife, Elizabeth, in the hospital last week after she gave birth to a son, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area reported Wednesday, citing an unidentified source. A 49ers spokesman said the team asked the NFL for approval to visit the new mother, and the league said yes because it was purely a social visit. Harbaugh brought flowers for Elizabeth Smith.

Alex Smith says he's likely to return to the 49ers and that he wants to work with new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Smith is slated to be a restricted free agent this offseason. He's had a bumpy career in San Francisco, throwing 51 touchdowns and 54 interceptions in six seasons since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NFL Draft. "It's well documented, on record, that we very much want Alex Smith to be a 49er next year," Harbaugh said Tuesday. "He really is a 49er in my mind, and hopefully in his mind he is a 49er. We look forward to him competing for that starting quarterback position next year."

49ers general manager Trent Baalke drafted last month looking for versatility from his selections. "Versatility" was the word Baalke used over and over again during a film session with beat writers Thursday, breaking down tape on all of San Francisco's 10 picks and showing why the team believes each was the right choice. "What's their versatility? What's their impact on the team? We want guys to be able to do a variety of things," Baalke said. "We want guys who bring value to the team and are good at more than just one thing." With the exception of second-round pick Colin Kaepernick, the 49ers expect all their new rookies to do multiple things and play multiple positions.

Colin Kaepernick has recently had a surgical procedure that the 49ers believe will have no impact on the second-round pick’s rookie season. The 49ers issued a statement Friday that the former Nevada QB had surgery to repair a preexisting condition and that they were aware of the injury before the draft, according to an Associated Press report.

The 49ers have parted ways with Lal Heneghan, one of the team's top members of the front office since his 2006 hiring. Heneghan spent five seasons as San Francisco's executive vice president of football administration. The move is part of the organization's plan to "restructure and reorganize duties," the team said. A further announcement to outline the specifics is expected in within the next couple of days.

49ers rookie quarterback Colin Kaepernick can't learn the team's offense from its coaching staff due to the NFL lockout. Kaepernick will learn parts of coach Jim Harbaugh's offense from Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck. Kaepernick and Luck met over the summer at the Manning Passing Academy in Thibodaux, La. "Especially if the lockout stays on," Kaepernick said. "I'm going to try and pick his brain as much as I can and try to get a jump-start into this offense, and pick up as much as I can from him."

San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh is making it known that he expects to have veteran Alex Smith on the roster when the 2011 season begins. Harbaugh and Smith met for close to 40 minutes on Friday during a brief break in the NFL's lockout and the new coach is convinced Smith will return to the team and be the front-runner for San Francisco's starting quarterback job. "I do [expect him to be here]," Harbaugh said Saturday in a post-draft news conference. "I absolutely think it's a great fit."