SANTA CLARA -- The 49ers opened the preseason with a 19-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans, and the night was defined by a few bright spots, a few real concerns, and one badly timed quarterback run.
Kurtis Rourke was the best quarterback on the field until he hurt his rib running between the tackles on a draw from the four-yard line. That decision loomed over the game afterward.
Before the injury, Rourke had put together an efficient night, going 12 of 14 for 101 yards with a 96.7 passer rating. He handled the pocket well, got the ball out quickly, avoided a sack, picked up a first down with his legs and dropped a beautiful deep ball to De'Zhaun Stribling up the right sideline.
He looks like a player with a real chance to grow into a quality backup or even a starter. His replacement, Adrian Martinez, was awful.
The 49ers also got a useful look at Stribling, who was easily their most productive receiver in a game where the veterans were all sitting out. He caught 7 of 8 targets for 63 yards and kept showing the kind of hands that pop on tape.
He doesn’t create much separation, so he may not be the cleanest answer on short throws, but he tracks the ball well, catches away from his body and brings legitimate downfield speed. That matters for a team that needs a deep threat.
The next-best wideout for San Francisco was Jordan Watkins, who caught STATS.
At running back, there wasn’t much to get excited about. Sincere McCormick was the best of the group, showing some burst and running with energy, but he still averaged only 3.8 yards per carry. The bigger issue was that the backs kept taking contact in the backfield, so none of them really had a fair shot to get rolling.
Up front, the left guard situation remains a problem. Robert Jones, the favorite for the job, was rough in both phases, and that’s before even getting into the fact that he’s currently the best option.
Rookie Carver Willis played most of the second half and was better than Jones, though that’s not saying a whole lot. The 49ers need Willis to progress quickly if they want this spot settled.
The defensive line had one clear winner: rookie Gracen Halton. He held up against double teams in the run game and logged a tackle for loss, plus a sack that came back because of a penalty away from the play.
The rest of the group had a rough night. Alfred Collins got pushed around, Romello Height didn’t show up against the run or as a pass rusher, and veteran camp body Ogbonnia Okoronkwo looked better than Height, which is not a great sign.
Once again, the burden will fall heavily on Nick Bosa to be both durable and dominant.
At linebacker, Tatum Bethune continued to look like a steady backup middle linebacker. Nick Martin played a lot, which doesn’t exactly help his case as an outside linebacker starter.
His biggest moment was a 15-yard penalty against him, and he still looked unsure of himself. Jaden Dugger, on the other hand, didn’t look like a rookie.
He could wind up as the 49ers’ third linebacker by the end of the season.
In the secondary, Jack Jones exited early with a hand injury, and rookie Ephysians Prysock stepped in and immediately made a play, breaking up a potential touchdown pass to rooke first-round pick Carnell Tate in the front-right corner of the end zone. Prysock completely engulfed him.
Ashtyn Davis also flashed, nearly intercepting Cam Ward. Otherwise, the defensive backs didn’t leave much of a mark.
Special teams brought one obvious positive and one obvious issue. Eddie Pineiro drilled a 52-yard field goal and made it look routine. The 49ers, though, still don’t have a punt returner.
As for the coaching decision that changed the night, it’s hard to ignore the quarterback draw from the four-yard line. Preseason or not, running a quarterback between the tackles there is always dangerous, and this one cost Rourke his ribs.
How long he’ll be out is unclear. The good news for San Francisco is that Mac Jones is also there to back up Brock Purdy.
The bigger takeaway is that Rourke looked extremely promising before the injury. He’s big, accurate and mobile.
Now the 49ers have to keep him healthy.
In Other News...
Mac Jones Gets A Real 49ers Test Right Away
The 49ers are expected to keep many of their starters on the sideline in the preseason meeting with the Titans, which should leave Mac Jones with a meaningful workload under center. For a backup quarterback trying to make the most of limited snaps, that kind of opportunity matters, especially when it comes against a Tennessee team that plans to play a good portion of its top early-down personnel.
Jones will not just be managing a routine preseason outing, either. The matchup gives him a chance to put useful film on tape against a tougher-than-usual exhibition opponent, something that can still carry weight well beyond August for a quarterback set to hit free agency in 2027. In a league where every clean series and sharp throw can shape perception, this one has a little more on the line than the box score will show. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Suddenly Have Two Injury Concerns Fans Need To Watch
Kyle Shanahans injury report after the preseason opener gave the 49ers a little more to monitor than they would prefer this early in camp. Quarterback Kurtis Rourke exited with a rib injury, and the team was cautious enough to send him to the hospital for evaluation, although the initial X-rays came back negative. It was the sort of checkup that can calm some fears while still leaving the door open for more concern as the week unfolds.
Cornerback Nate Hobbs added to that uneasy feel when he went down with a groin injury during joint practice, another reminder that the preseason can change a depth chart in a hurry. Hobbs is expected to miss a few weeks, and he is not the only player dealing with a health issue, with Jack Jones, Nick Martin and Marques Sigle also on the injury list. For a team trying to sort out roles and preserve momentum, the main question now is how many of these absences linger into the start of the season. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Preseason Opener Put Two Early Depth Concerns In Focus
The preseason opener in Tennessee offered the 49ers an early look at how their depth is holding up while several key players stayed out of uniform. It was the first real chance for the coaching staff to sort through backups, young players and fringe roster hopefuls in a game setting, with the live updates tracking the kind of miscues, penalties and flashes that tend to shape August evaluations more than the scoreboard does.
For San Francisco, the most useful part of the night may have been seeing where the thin spots show up when the rotations get deeper and the pace quickens. The play-by-play told a story of a team still sorting out its second unit on both sides of the ball, and the kind of early preseason test that can clarify which positions need the most attention before the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]