The preseason wraps up tonight for the San Francisco 49ers against the Las Vegas Raiders, and for a handful of players, this is the kind of game that can tilt a roster battle or bump them up the depth chart.
The biggest spotlight may fall on rookie Carver Willis, because the starting left guard job is still up for grabs. This is his best remaining shot to make his case.
There are still a few practices left, but a strong showing in the finale would carry real weight while the 49ers are still sorting out the position. The coaching staff would love to see something encouraging from Willis, even if the night isn’t spotless.
As the source put it, if he can show the coaches he has “a sufficient floor,” they’ll go with him.
If Willis doesn’t lock it down, the door stays cracked for second-year offensive lineman Connor Colby. That said, it doesn’t sound like Colby is really in the mix to start at left guard anymore.
He’s been working at right guard, and with Dominick Puni dealing with concussion-like symptoms again, the 49ers are unlikely to move him around. Still, Colby could get one last look at left guard, whether that means alternating drives with Willis or taking the second-half start.
If that happens, he has to make it count.
Jordan Watkins is another player who can’t afford a quiet night. Last week, he let a touchdown slip away when he dropped a perfectly thrown pass from Mac Jones in the final minute of the first half.
Watkins did get into the end zone later, but that miss still looms larger. With Jacob Cowing out because of a groin injury, Watkins should see even more attention in this one.
He needs to look sharp and leave no doubt.
Rookie Ephesians Prysock should also get plenty of work with the starters sitting out. The source noted he should have gotten a bigger look last week against the Chargers, especially against the starters, but this game will give him a fuller chance to show what he can do.
Through two games, he’s been solid without piling up flashy moments, aside from the touchdown pass breakup in the opener. Another steady outing could make the decision between him and Jack Jones as the backup a lot tougher for Raheem Morris.
Even if he doesn’t pass Jones, he can still strengthen his standing.
In the backfield, Kaelon Black has a real opening while Jordan James remains out. Black looked adequate against the Chargers, and that could be enough to push him into position as Christian McCaffrey’s backup.
A clean performance would likely lock that role in after this game. The only thing that would keep him from that is a rough night.
And then there’s Sincere McCormick, who may have turned the most heads last week. After Black, McCormick stepped in and ran with force, decisiveness and fluidity - exactly the kind of style that fits this offense. Another game like that could put him in the conversation to replace James, and at the very least, it should secure his roster spot.
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For San Francisco, the bigger picture is clear: reducing McCaffreys workload is not just a luxury, it has become part of the teams planning. The challenge is that neither Black nor James has taken a regular-season carry yet, which leaves the 49ers balancing promise against proof as they try to sort out who can actually shoulder a meaningful role when the games start to matter most. [Read more 🡒]