The San Francisco 49ers are already dealing with the kind of August questions that can shape a season before it really starts.
After a joint practice against the Los Angeles Chargers, the secondary came out of the session looking shaky, and that was enough to put a few issues front and center as the Niners head into their second preseason game. Some plays on the clips making the rounds were clear sacks, including work from Osa Odighizuwa and Romello Height, but the bigger takeaway was how often Deommodore Lenoir, Ji’Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle, Jack Jones, and Ephesians Prysock seemed to be chasing Chargers receivers instead of controlling them.
That defensive backfield concern is only part of the picture, though. There’s also a real question about whether San Francisco has enough pass rushers behind Nick Bosa.
Height, a rookie, showed up with a sack, but he’s still learning. Mykel Williams is expected to miss the first game and could even open the season on the PUP list.
That leaves Keion White, Sam Okuayinonu, Ogbo Okronkwo, and a group of veteran additions the 49ers brought in during camp. Around the league, teams are still making moves too, with free agents like Jadeveon Clowney and Von Miller signing one-year deals.
Wide receiver depth has also moved into the spotlight fast. The loss of Ricky Pearsall hit hard, and De’Zhaun Stribling is now in line for a bigger role, even though he’s a rookie as well. Evans is a high-end player who changes coverage, but San Francisco still has to see whether Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins, and Stribling can do enough to help Brock Purdy.
And then there’s the broadest worry of all: injuries. The roster has already taken hits in August, and the situation has gotten messy enough that even a punting competition feels secondary when the team doesn’t have enough pass rushers to fully practice. The question now is whether the injury issues keep piling up once the season begins.
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49ers Camp Suddenly Has A Mac Jones Question Fans Didn't Expect
Kurtis Rourke turned heads in his 49ers debut, and it did more than just add another name to the quarterback mix. Around a camp that already has Brock Purdy working through joint practices with the Chargers and rookie running back Kaelon Black flashing, Rourkes first showing gave the roster a little more intrigue than the team probably expected this early in August.
It also has quietly changed the conversation around Mac Jones, whose contract situation is now part of the backdrop as the preseason unfolds. The 49ers are still juggling routine camp decisions, including Christian McCaffrey being held out of some work as a precaution and bringing back defensive tackle Evan Anderson for depth, but the most interesting question may be whether the quarterback picture is stable enough to last beyond the summer. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Veteran Suddenly Has A Real Week 1 Opening
Sam Okuayinonu has spent the early part of his 49ers career looking like a depth piece with room to grow, but this season could finally give him a clearer path. Entering his third year in San Francisco, he is expected to see more playing time, and the roster picture around him has shifted just enough to make that feel real heading into the opener.
The opening may have arrived sooner than the 49ers planned. With the team still managing injuries along the edge, Okuayinonu could be in line to start or at least handle a meaningful workload right away, giving him a chance to turn a longer look into something more permanent if the early-season rotation stays thin. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Wide Receiver Battle Just Claimed An Unexpected Draft Pick
The 49ers wide receiver competition took an early turn before their first preseason game, with Junior Bergen waived after a camp that had highlighted his return ability. Bergen had been viewed as a long shot to crack San Franciscos roster, and the teams depth at receiver made every fringe spot difficult to hold onto as roster decisions started to come due.
Bergen did not stay on the wire long. The Jets claimed him and made room by moving on from an undrafted free agent, a quick reminder that even players on the edge of the 49ers roster can still draw interest elsewhere. For San Francisco, it is another small but notable cut in a crowded position battle that could keep shifting as preseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]