49ers' Prudena benefits from NFL's International Practice Squad

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Aug 2, 2008 | by Daniel Brown

SANTA CLARA -- For a player on the fringes, Ramiro Pruneda has a surprising amount of job security.

The 6-foot-6, 317-pound tackle is guaranteed a spot on the 49ers practice squad this season as part of the NFL's International Practice Squad Program.

Pruneda, honored three times as the Best Offensive Lineman in Mexico while at Monterrey Tech, hopes to do better than that by winning a job on the active roster.

But he doesn't count against the numbers in training camp. He's the 81st man on what is officially an 80-man roster.

When the practice squad is announced, Pruneda wouldn't count against the NFL limit of seven.

"I really like it here,'' Pruneda said Saturday. "The coaching staff has been great to me. Coach (George) Warhop has been very enthusiastic."

Pruneda, 25, brings some NFL experience, having spent time on the practice squads for the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles a year ago.

Pruneda also spent five years with the Mexican National Team.

"In the last 10 years, football in Mexico has really come a long way," he said.

Since the NFL introduced the international practice program in 2004, 22 players have participated. The only player to crack the active roster is guard Rolando Cantu, who played one game for the Arizona Cardinals in 2005.

O'Sullivan with first team

Quarterback J.T. O'Sullivan, a UC Davis graduate, worked with the first-team offense again, as Alex Smith handled second-team duties.

Smith last worked with the No. 1 unit during an afternoon practice on Wednesday. Coach Mike Nolan gave no indication of when it would be Smith's turn again.

"I can give you what happened today, but I can't give you what'll happen tomorrow," he said.

Shaun Hill worked with the third team Saturday during the 49ers' first full-contact 11-on-11 work of training camp.

Extra points

The 49ers injury-waived offensive lineman Jeb Terry and replaced him on the roster with former San Jose State guard John Booker. The 49ers signed Booker as a rookie free agent in spring but waived him in early July. ... DE Kentwan Balmer (ankle), S Mark Roman (hamstring), S Lewis Baker (thigh) and WR Ashley Lelie (calf) remain listed as day to day.

-- Daniel Brown, MediaNews staff