What to watch for in the 49ers' preseason opener
On Sunday the 49ers make their return to the field for the first time since a frustrating NFC Championship Game defeat ended their 2022 campaign when they face the Raiders in their preseason opener. Kyle Shanahan will risk few of his starters for the exhibition at Allegiant Stadium, but it will still be an important […]
On Sunday the 49ers make their return to the field for the first time since a frustrating NFC Championship Game defeat ended their 2022 campaign when they face the Raiders in their preseason opener.
Kyle Shanahan will risk few of his starters for the exhibition at Allegiant Stadium, but it will still be an important game for a host of San Francisco players looking to carve out a role on the roster.
The quarterback position will be the primary area of interest, with Trey Lance and Sam Darnold each set to get a significant opportunity to impress as they compete for the backup job behind Brock Purdy.
Yet there are several other areas of intrigue beyond what happens under center that will bear watching closely as the Niners square off with their former Bay Area neighbors.
49ers: What to watch for in San Francisco's preseason opener
The battle of the rookie tight ends
While the QB2 fight has remained something of a mystery, recent practices have offered a window into who is ahead in the competition to be George Kittle’s backup at tight end.
San Francisco selected two tight ends in this year’s draft, taking Cameron Latu in the third round and Brayden Willis in the seventh.
Yet it is the latter who has produced the superior performances in training camp, with Latu struggling with drops, including one on fourth down in the endzone on an accurate throw from Lance in Thursday’s joint practice with the Raiders.
Drops are not something Shanahan will countenance, and if Latu is to make up any gap to Willis that has developed, he quickly needs to start showing some strong hands.
There are two veterans in the mix in Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley but, in search of more receiving upside at TE2, Shanahan would surely prefer to have one of his rookies win the job.
Right now it is Willis, with versatility, ability to create separation as a route-runner and yards after catch upside, that appears to be the frontrunner. A productive display versus Las Vegas could put him in a commanding position.
Who replaces Ray-Ray?
A vacancy at the returner position was opened this week with the news Ray-Ray McCloud could miss as much as eight weeks after breaking his wrist in Tuesday’s practice.
Between rookies Ronnie Bell and D’Shawn Jamison, last year’s third-round pick Danny Gray and veteran Willie Snead IV, the 49ers have several candidates to replace McCloud, who if the timeline Kyle Shanahan laid out is correct will miss the first four games of the regular season.
Bell and Snead returned punts in Friday’s joint practice with the Raiders. Shanahan noted on Thursday that returning punts is the more difficult challenge than running back kickoffs. The Niners will feel substantially better about their return game without McCloud if one of those options to take his place shines in both facets.
Money Moody
Staying on special teams, 49ers fans will get their first real look at the most contentious draft pick of their 2023 class.
Jake Moody, a third-round pick who was the 49ers’ second selection of the draft, has done an impressive job of silencing those who questioned the decision to take a kicker so highly with a series of impressive field goals in training camp practices.
Kicks from 60 yards have proved no problem for the former Michigan man, who has consistently cleared the crossbar from long distance with plenty of room to spare.
But the spotlight on him will obviously be greater in his first game with the Niners than it has been in any practice session, and any misses will increase the scrutiny on a player San Francisco hopes will vindicate his top-100 selection with a minimum of fuss.
Defensive line standouts
Even in a training camp that has been marked by the absence of Nick Bosa amid a contract holdout, the 49ers’ defensive line has continued to thrive.
The likes of Arik Armstead and Javon Hargrave are unlikely to play against the Raiders but a host of backups who have shone in camp, including Javon Kinlaw, Austin Bryant and Taco Charlton, should get the chance to make an impression and illustrate the depth the Niners have at their disposal.
Former Raider Clelin Ferrell is another who has impressed in camp. He is in a battle with Drake Jackson for the starting defensive end spot across from Bosa. Yet with Jackson out with a hamstring injury, the 49ers might not consider it worth risking a player who would right now appear to have the inside track to that role.
There is obviously no doubting the talent of Defensive Player of the Year Bosa, Armstead and Hargrave but, heading into the camp, some reason for concern about the quality of the depth behind the starting defensive line would have been understandable.
Any such fears have largely been allayed during camp, but a strong display from the second and third-string defensive line would serve to inspire confidence about the level of resources the Niners have in an area that has long since been one of their major strengths.
D’Shawn Jamison’s progress
Jamison’s potential as a kick returner boosts his odds of making the roster, but there’s an argument he had already essentially cemented his place with a hugely impressive camp.
The rookie undrafted free agent out of Texas has received praise from several senior teammates, including wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and starting corner Charvarius Ward, while Steve Wilks has also had warm words for Jamison.
Wilks said of the former Longhorn:
“Very impressed. He has definitely made strides from the spring and just came back and built on to his repertoire and just his toolbox. I think the one thing that he’s doing with his technique, he’s staying more square in his backpedal, which is allowing him to be able to see and visualize more of the field-route concept, see the quarterback, and he’s doing a great job of breaking on the ball, his man-to-man technique, he’s great at the line of scrimmage and he’s doing a good job at the top end of the route, the point of emphasis that I talk about all the time, that’s where we’ve got to win. So, you see him doing a lot of good things.”
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Jamison offers the versatility to play outside corner and nickel, and he can go from draft afterthought to the Niners’ primary backup at a premium position if those good things translate to the exhibition season.
Lance vs. Darnold
Shanahan perhaps offered a clue as to who is leading the most compelling position battle of the preseason for the 49ers when he confirmed Lance would start against the Raiders. He will play the first half and Darnold the second.
The man the 49ers traded three first-round picks to acquire in 2021 will, therefore, theoretically have the better conditions in which to enjoy a successful outing as he will get the opportunity to play with the second string.
Darnold may have a tougher time of things if he has to play predominantly with the third-string offense. However, even if Lance starting is representative of a pecking order, he will know there is plenty of time for it to change.
As such, the chance to start is one Lance can ill-afford to waste. The 49ers are already well aware he can produce the downfield splash plays, but they'll want to see him pilot the offense with efficiency and decisiveness and make throws to all levels of the defense.
Fail to grasp that opportunity, and Lance could soon find himself at risk of falling behind a veteran in Darnold who has received praise for his success in taking care of the football during training camp.
The 49ers are hoping Purdy’s success in 2022 translates to this year and he proves himself to be the answer under center. However, San Francisco has kept Lance around and invested in Darnold to ensure there is significant insurance if he struggles or if he is hit by more injury problems.
Arguably the biggest task for the Niners is to determine which backup should be the top insurance policy. Given what’s at stake for a team heading into the year with Super Bowl aspirations again, it’s a decision they must not get wrong. The performances of Lance and Darnold on Sunday may provide significant insight into which direction they should go.
Shanahan has long since insisted that training camp practices are a better tool for evaluation of his roster than preseason games, but Sunday's contest may confirm some of his prior thoughts about those players fighting for a spot on a team that once again looks to be one of the deepest and most talented in the NFL.
How to watch 49ers-Raiders on Sunday
Trey Lance will be among those looking to impress.
Featured Image Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
