The 49ers opened the preseason with a 19-13 loss to Tennessee, and the night came with the usual August split-screen: some real reasons for optimism, plenty of rough edges, and a few position groups that didn’t do much to inspire confidence.
The biggest bright spots came from the rookie class. Four first-year players separated themselves in the opener - WR De’Zhaun Stribling, DT Gracen Halton, DB Ephesians Prysock and LB Jayden Dugger - and the early read is that this could end up being the Niners’ best draft class since 2020.
On offense, Kurtis Rourke was the cleanest quarterback of the night. He went 12 of 14 for 101 yards and had an 18-yard completion to Jordan Watkins wiped out by a penalty.
Rourke looked efficient and in control, especially on third down. His night ended with rib injury on a highly questionable QB draw call while trying to score at the end of the game.
Adrian Martinez, meanwhile, finished 16 of 30 for 159 yards and took two sacks, but the numbers were kinder than the performance. He never really settled in.
The run game was stuck in neutral. Sincere McCormick led the team with 10 carries for 38 yards, and Khalil Herbert’s longest run from scrimmage went for just 8 yards.
Herbert did show something as a receiver, catching two passes for 35 yards, but the overall ground attack was a mess: 28 carries, 84 yards, and a 3-yard average. There just weren’t any openings.
That struggle started up front. Robert Jones got the start at left guard and had a few positive snaps mixed with some ugly penalties, but the bottom line was that he was ineffective.
Rookie tackle Enrique Cruz Jr. looked lost. The backs were third-stringers, sure, but they had nowhere to go.
Pass protection held up better, with Martinez taking only two sacks.
Kevin Zeitler remains out there in free agency, and the case for him is easy to make. He’s 36, but he’s still proven effective.
Last season, he ranked 13th among all guards by PFF, ninth in pass protection and 20th in run blocking. The question isn’t whether he’d help.
It’s whether the Niners would actually do it.
At receiver, De’Zhaun Stribling kept making plays. He caught seven of eight targets and stretched the field with a long of 32.
He’s making a real push to start. Jordan Watkins also had a strong outing with six catches for 59 yards and handled first-team punt return duties.
If San Francisco keeps six receivers, Watkins looks like the frontrunner for the final spot. Malik Turner had two catches and Will Pauling had three, but both trail Watkins for that last job right now.
Up front on defense, the Titans tested the interior early and often, and Robert Saleh clearly knew where to go. Alfred Collins had a rough night, looked out of shape, and didn’t record a stat.
Gracen Halton was the better rookie on the interior, turning in a solid run stop and drawing a sack that was erased by penalty. UDFA James Thompson Jr. added a quarterback hit, half a sack and three tackles, while Sebastian Valdez posted five tackles, including a tackle for loss, to edge him in that roster battle.
There were other moments in the pass rush. Ogbo Okoronkwo had a sack.
Thompson and hybrid defender Larry Worth III shared one. Tatum Bethune got home on a blitz.
Romello Height had one tackle, and Quinton Bell flashed at times. Even so, with Nick Bosa’s health still a question and Height not standing out yet, the Niners still look like a team that needs another edge threat.
The rumor is John Lynch is looking for a “right price” deal to add one.
Bethune was active again on the second level, finishing with six tackles and a sack. Nick Martin led the team with eight tackles, but that came more from opportunity than dominance.
He still needs to build more power to win straight up, and the thought here is that he may fit best as a designated blitzer this season. Garett Wallow, by contrast, did not play well.
Jayden Dugger, though, stood out with smart reads and two solo stops.
In the secondary, Prysock made his mark with length and closing speed, breaking up a pass and holding up well in coverage, including effective snaps against #4 overall pick Carnell Tate. Ashtyn Davis, Eli Apple and Darrell Luter Jr. also logged pass breakups.
At safety, though, there wasn’t much to write home about. Marques Sigle was barely noticeable and finished with two tackles, and Davis and UDFA Jalen Stroman were in the same lane.
Safety remains a concern heading toward the season.
The 49ers now turn to a joint practice against the Chargers on Tuesday before the second preseason game Thursday night in Los Angeles.
In Other News...
49ers Preseason Opener Just Raised The Stakes For Roster Hopefuls
The 49ers first preseason game did more than shake off the rust, it started to separate the hopefuls from the long shots. Some players helped their cases with the kind of early work coaches notice, while the teams roster math got a little tighter with the first wave of cuts already beginning to trim the camp roster. Special teams roles are also starting to come into focus, with Watkins and Deebo Samuel looking like they could handle return duties as the club keeps sorting out where the most reliable depth fits.
Kurtis Rourke was one of the more interesting names to emerge from the opener, showing enough to stand out before his injury complicated the picture. His performance suggests there is something to work with, but the setback could push him toward a practice squad path rather than an immediate roster spot. On the other side of the ledger, Nate Hobbs has barely been able to practice, and his absence has left the 49ers weighing just how they want to manage his availability if he is not ready when the season begins. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Fans Should Watch This Pass Rusher Closely
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The bigger question now is health, after Stewart dealt with a back injury in 2025 that could shape how teams view him moving forward. If he stays on track, his ceiling makes him an intriguing long-term option for San Francisco, a team that could always use more young edge talent in the pipeline. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Depth Battles Already Look A Lot More Concerning
The 49ers used their preseason opener in Tennessee exactly the way a team in August is supposed to, keeping most of the starters on the sideline and giving rookies and backups a long look in live action. The result was a 19-13 loss, but the more important part for San Francisco was how the roster depth held up when the games started to count for evaluation.
A handful of players did not help their cases much. Robert Jones, Connor Colby, Patrick Taylor Jr., Romello Height, Drake Nugent and Doug Kramer Jr. all drew attention for uneven showings, which is not the kind of first impression a team wants when jobs are being sorted out. For a roster with expectations as high as San Franciscos, these early depth battles were already going to matter, and now they look a little more unsettled than the 49ers probably hoped. [Read more 🡒]