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**RoyWilliams** · 08-28-2007, 09:14 AM

Sports - Gore cleared to play, but won't - sacbee.com

Quote:

The 49ers' team doctors say Frank Gore can play in Thursday's exhibition finale in San Diego. The head coach, however, has other ideas.

"He can probably play but I'm not going to play him," Mike Nolan said Monday. "As much as he carried the ball last year, I think he's got it down."

Four weeks after a breaking a bone on the top of his right hand in practice, Gore was fitted Monday for protective padding designed to help absorb any impact to his right hand. Whether he wears it for the team's regular-season opener Sept. 10, Gore said, depends on how comfortable the device feels in practice.

Though he has gone through a few individual drills since the injury, Gore has yet to take part in a full practice since July 30. That changes today when he'll go through team drills with the extra padding.

With a bit of practice this week and full slate next week, Gore said, he ought to be ready for the regular season.

"The more practice I get, the more I touch the ball, I'll be ready," he said.

Gore has worked extensively on his own while his teammates have practiced over the past month and his conditioning likely will not be an issue. His teammates also don't think it would take long for Gore to get in sync with the rest of the offense.

"You know, he was out here with the cast these last few weeks trying to get reps, trying to steal reps," quarterback Alex Smith said. "I'm sure he'll be ready."

Status quo at tackle -- Nolan said he has not yet decided whether Kwame Harris or rookie Joe Staley will be the team's Week 1 starter at right tackle. Nolan had intimated the decision could come Monday.

Instead, the two will rotate with the first-team offense just as they have done during the two previous exhibition games. The 49ers' starters are scheduled to play 12 snaps or one quarter against the Chargers.

So far this summer, Harris has received the lion's share of the work with the first team.

"I feel that's definitely something that has to develop because I haven't had as many snaps with (Justin) Smiley or whoever is playing that right-guard spot," Staley said of building chemistry along the line. "But I feel comfortable going in there."

Sidelined safety -- Nolan said injured safety Dashon Goldson is the only player who has been ruled out of the regular-season opener. Goldson likely will miss a month after spraining his elbow Aug. 18.