As the 49ers ran out of patience with Kentwan Balmer's absence, the player said Wednesday that he plans to return to the team as soon as his personal matter is resolved.
The third-year defensive end missed practice for the third consecutive day, this time without permission from Mike Singletary.
"I talked to Kentwan as simple as I can put it. I asked him to be here. He's not here," the coach said. "Yes, he is under contract, and the fact that he's not here, that speaks to me. What it says, I really don't know."
Balmer, in an interview with the Mercury News outside his Santa Clara home, said he simply needs more time to attend to a personal matter. He said he had no problem with Singletary and planned to speak to him later Wednesday.hockey jerseys Asked if he will play for the 49ers again, Balmer said: "That's the plan."
Balmer did not disclose the nature of his personal issue, saying he would discuss them only with Singletary.
"People are making a big deal about nothing," Balmer said. "I feel like the 49ers could do a better job of saying that, but it's not my place to say."
The 49ers said Wednesday afternoon that they had no meeting scheduled with Balmer.
Balmer has yet to fulfill expectations after the 49ers took him with the 29th overall pick in 2008. Defensive coordinator Greg Manusky has praised the lineman's progress during practices, but Balmer has yet to start a game or register a sack.
His season ended early
last season after he sustained a torn labrum against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Nov. 29.
Now he risks falling out of favor with the hard-nosed Singletary. The coach tried to several times to wave off questions about Balmer during his news conference Wednesday.
"I really don't want to talk about Kentwan. I want to talk about the guys that are out here," Singletary said. "We're trying to win football games out here. We're trying to become a better football team. I don't want to talk about something that's not here."
Receiver Michael Crabtree sustained a sprained neck after coming down hard on the turf during a seven-on-seven passing drill. The 49ers did not put a timetable on Crabtree's return to practice, but the injury did not appear to be serious.
Crabtree got up after a few seconds and soon was standing and chatting with trainer Jeff Ferguson.
The 49ers waived Scott McKillop, a second-year linebacker who suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and patellar tendon during practice Aug. 4. He led the 49ers in special-teams tackles last season with 31.
The 49ers waived receiver Scott Long and signed rookie free agent Bobby Guillory to a two-year contract. A native of Vallejo, Guillory (5-foot-10, 180) was a running back and receiver at the University of Central Missouri.
