Niners eyeing Culpepper

Combined dispatches

SAN FRANCISCO

The 49ers are adding Daunte Culpepper to their quarterback mix.

After a three-hour practice Sunday, San Francisco coach Jim Harbaugh said the team is bringing in the 34-year-old Culpepper for a tryout today.

“We’re going to have Daunte in for a workout and kick the tires,” Harbaugh said. “I’m looking forward to that.”

Harbaugh said Saturday that the 49ers have no clear-cut starter at quarterback after veteran Alex Smith and rookie Colin Kaepernick both had shaky performances in San Francisco’s 24-3 loss to New Orleans in Friday’s preseason opener.

Culpepper, the No. 11 pick in the 1999 draft, hasn’t played in the NFL since an eight-game stint with Detroit in 2009.

During an 11-year NFL career, mostly with the Minnesota Vikings, Culpepper has played in three Pro Bowls. He spent last season with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League.

Smith and Kaepernick alternated most of the snaps Sunday during 11-on-11 drills in front of 8,200 fans at Candlestick Park. The 49ers were practicing on their home field as part of a full day of “Fan Fest” activities.

“I know as a quarterback when you’re competing for a starting job, you like to make it clear-cut. So far, it hasn’t had a chance to be clear-cut, yet,” Harbaugh said. “We’ll continue to practice.

“I don’t want those guys worried about it. I want them practicing and working and not worrying, and it’ll unfold.”

Smith and Kaepernick were under duress Friday night against a blitz-heavy defense that repeatedly broke free of the 49ers’ linemen.

Smith completed 2 of 7 passes for 10 yards and got sacked twice. Kaepernick was 9 of 19 for 117 yards, he got sacked four times in the second quarter, and he had two fourth-quarter passes intercepted.

“It wasn’t clean, and it was difficult,” Harbaugh said of his quarterbacks’ challenge. “We struggled offensively. You don’t want to see your quarterback get hit like that.”

Through it all, Harbaugh noted that neither quarterback appeared to get rattled.

“We need to make the strides and take the steps necessary to be where we need to be for when the season starts,” Smith said.

From the day the 49ers moved up to draft Kaepernick in the second round, Harbaugh has consistently supported Smith and pegged the 2005 draft’s top pick as his likely starter. Last month, Smith officially signed a one-year, $5 million deal to return for a seventh season.

“Like we’ve been saying, there’s a competition at every position,” Harbaugh said. “And guys are going out, working, competing, learning and getting reps.”

Harbaugh decided to let Kaepernick close out Friday’s game to work further on mechanics and procedures. The 49ers’ other two quarterbacks are undrafted rookies, Jeremiah Masoli and McLeod Bethel-Thompson.