Kyle Shanahan comments on potential role changes for several 49ers rookies after contrasting Week 2 displays
Week 2 was one of contrasting fortunes for the San Francisco 49ers' class of rookies. Third-round pick Dominick Puni was not quite as impressive as in the season-opening win over the New York Jets as the 49ers lost to the Minnesota Vikings, while fourth-round receiver Jacob Cowing muffed a punt that were the 49ers were […]
Week 2 was one of contrasting fortunes for the San Francisco 49ers' class of rookies.
Third-round pick Dominick Puni was not quite as impressive as in the season-opening win over the New York Jets as the 49ers lost to the Minnesota Vikings, while fourth-round receiver Jacob Cowing muffed a punt that were the 49ers were able to recover and fourth-round running back Isaac Guerendo had just one carry, which went for negative yards.
On the flip side, Malik Mustapha saw significant action at safety, the fourth-rounder playing more snaps than veteran George Odum, who started the game. Meanwhile, second-round cornerback Renardo Green played four snaps and produced some impressive coverage while playing when the 49ers put six defensive backs on the field in their dime package.
The return of Talanoa Hufanga this week will likely limit opportunities for Mustapha to see the field regularly, but there is the possibility both he and Green could play in the 49ers' dime package at the same time with the 49ers putting three safeties on the field.
Asked if Mustapha and Green could get more chances to play in the coming weeks, head coach Kyle Shanahan replied: "Possibly. They have to be ready, always, in case of an injury.
"I could say they don’t have any plans to play or to go in and then one play happens and they’re in the rest of the game. It was nice to mix Malik in last week. I thought he did well with his reps. Renardo came in on a couple of dime packages and he did well with his reps too.
"So possibly with the scheme, whatever that is this week, we can keep building off that. But if not, they’re always one play away from playing the rest of the game.”
Puni is entrenched in the starting right guard spot, but Cowing's muffed punt raised questions about him staying in that special teams role. Shanahan, though, expressed faith in the former Arizona wideout.
"That’s one muffed punt. Just when it comes to catching stuff, he’s been as natural of a catcher as we’ve had in our eight years here, just in practice, how he’s been in the games," Shanahan said.
"I know that one got away from him, which we can’t have those. But everyone muffs one here and there. You just hope that was the end of it."
Guerendo's carry saw him seemingly cut back prematurely into a pack of Vikings defenders when it appeared an opportunity for positive yardage was there had he stayed patient and followed All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams' block.
But Shanahan said: "I think it’s common in all systems. [Jordan Mason] JP had one like that in the game too. With a remote in our hands, we all slow it down and see that, but I don’t think there was a big one there.
"If he would’ve kept pressing, I think he would’ve got one to three yards and tackled. Cut back a little early, so he got three guys who hit him for negative-one yard. But there’s a very fine line in that, it wasn’t like that was going to be a big play or anything. The nose had us a little bit, the backers fell back with them not pressing it, but I was hoping for one yard on the look, we lost one."
With Christian McCaffrey still on the sideline and Deebo Samuel joining him because of a calf strain, the 49ers may need to use both Guerendo and Cowing more often. Shanahan doesn't appear to have any concerns about doing that or his defensive staff giving more run to Mustapha and Green. The 49ers have been open in expressing how good they feel about this rookie class, and it's clear Shanahan's opinion hasn't changed.
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