"Now, I'm in a situation where I'm basically back to that use-when-needed category," Banta-Cain said. "That's fine, but I never accept that as a player. I see myself as a player who can play every snap and every down."

Coach Mike Nolan said he considers Banta-Cain more than just a third-down pass rusher.

"He can rush on third downs. But he should be an every-down player," Nolan said. "We did not dilute him by playing him in base. He needs to be a good base player. We did not sign him to be a specialized designated pass rusher. In order to make our squad, he's got to do more of the every-down stuff than just the one dimension."

--OT Chris Patrick was signed to a roster spot to replace Damane Duckett, who was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury. Patrick saw some action at left tackle in his first game with the 49ers.

--LB Takeo Spikes signed with the 49ers as a free agent and saw some action at the strong inside position in his first exhibition game. Spikes is competing against Jeff Ulbrich for the starting job.

--LB Jeff Ulbrich has been the starter at strong inside linebacker this entire offseason. But his job might be in jeopardy with the recent signing of Takeo Spikes. If Ulbrich loses the starting job, he could see action in the team's sub package as well as on all special teams.

--OG Tony Wragge is filling in for David Baas on the right side. Baas is expected to be ready for the team's regular-season opener. However, Wragge has played so well during training camp that he could enter the mix for a starting job at either guard spot.

--DB Marcus Hudson, who is competing for a roster spot, has seen some time at safety this training camp, as the 49ers want to test his versatility.

BATTLE OF THE WEEK: Jeff Ulbrich vs. Takeo Spikes for starting strong inside linebacker - Ulbrich was the presumptive starter throughout the entire offseason. But the 49ers did not know if he could withstand the punishment of a 16-game season, so they signed the free-agent Spikes. Ulbrich knows the system well. Spikes has been a little unsure of himself in the early days with his new team. Ulbrich is still working with the first team, but Spikes is expected to get more and more chances to win the starting job.

OTHER BATTLE FRONTS: J.T. O'Sullivan vs. Alex Smith for starting QB -- The competition is down to two players with O'Sullivan owning an edge over the No. 1 overall pick of the 2005 draft. Shaun Hill has fallen back to No. 3. ... Mark Roman vs. Dashon Goldson for starting free safety -- Roman missed a couple weeks with a hamstring injury, but he returned to his starting job. Goldson has continued to find his way to the ball and make plays, but Roman has the knowledge of the defense. ... Moran Norris vs. Zak Keasey for roster spots at fullback -- The 49ers might keep only one fullback on their roster this season. Keasey has been working with the No. 1 offense.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK: DE Ray McDonald - He has provided a consistent pass rush from the defensive-end position. He recorded 1.5 sacks in the 49ers' exhibition game against the Packers after recording one sack against the Raiders. The 49ers' pass rush appears to be in much better shape, thanks in large part to McDonald's contributions. "We got to get them (sacks) when the season gets here," McDonald said. "That's when it really counts. So that's what we've got to do."

ROOKIE REPORT: DE Kentwan Balmer has not had much of an impact, and he might be in a fight to get into the mix this season. Although his effort is not an issue, he does seem to have a difficult time getting off blocks. ... RG Chilo Rachal worked with the No. 2 offense and had an up-and-down game. It does not appear as if he'll challenge for playing time and might not be active on game days. ... CB Reggie Smith showed up well in coverage against the Packers, but it'll be difficult to make a contribution once the real games begin. ... WR Josh Morgan has been one of the stars of training camp. He has gotten an opportunity play due to injuries, and he has performed. Morgan caught five passes for 114 yards and a TD against the Packers. ... C Cody Wallace has played very well after getting off to a rough start in training camp. He played the entire second half against the Packers after starter Eric Heitmann left the game.

INJURY REPORT: WR Bryant Johnson (hamstring) and WR Ashley Lelie (calf) have not practiced since Aug. 4. Both have sat out the 49ers' first two exhibition games.

--WR Arnaz Battle (hamstring) missed the 49ers' game Saturday against the Packers, but he believes he'll be able to return to the field shortly.

--G David Baas is not expected back until late in the exhibition season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn pec tendon. He is on PUP.

--S Lewis Baker (thigh) has missed two games with a contusion. His return is listed as day-to-day.

--RB Michael Robinson (knee) underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his knee. He has resumed light running and should be ready for the regular-season opener.

--CB Tarell Brown (hip) sat out Saturday's game with an injury he sustained in practice. His status is day-to-day.