The San Francisco 49ers’ interior defensive line looks like the group to keep glued to in the preseason opener. The reports out of camp have been strong from the top of the depth chart all the way down, which makes this a spot worth tracking from the first snap to the last.
The headline name is Osa Odighizuwa, who is set to play for the 49ers for the first time since the team acquired him in a trade. A new defense and a new team should make his debut worth watching, even if his night ends quickly.
There’s also a complication up front: second-year lineman Alfred Collins is not expected to play because of injury. That opens the door for fellow draftmate C.J.
West to get starting reps, giving him a useful chance to work with the first group. Since both players appear to have roster spots locked in, their workload may be limited.
The real volume, though, should come from the four players behind them, and that’s where this game gets interesting. There’s a real chance only one of those four ends up on the roster, while at least one should land on the practice squad.
Halton, the rookie fourth-round pick, is close to a roster lock as long as he stays healthy. Even so, this will be an important first look at him in an NFL game. With the lack of depth, he could see snaps against starters and then keep rolling deep into the game, giving the 49ers a better read on his progress.
The second-year former UDFA is back after spending last season on the practice squad. But the room is deeper now, and there’s a new defensive coordinator in place.
After being a training camp darling a year ago, he’s now more of a camp player again. The question is simple: can he show he’s still pushing for a roster spot?
Then there’s Eason, the new UDFA from Tennessee who has generated plenty of buzz. The early camp reports have been solid, and with the room not especially deep, he should handle most, if not all, of the second half.
And finally, the rookie UDFA from Illinois has drawn as much attention, if not more, than Eason. He, too, should be able to get nearly half a game’s worth of snaps in the preseason opener.
In Other News...
49ers Have An Overlooked Camp Battle Fans Should Watch Closely
One of the quieter camp storylines in Santa Clara is taking shape at tight end, where San Francisco is sorting through a pair of depth options with very different rsums. Brayden Willis is entering his fourth season and still trying to carve out a real role after limited regular-season work, while Josiah Deguara arrived in training camp with more career snaps already on his ledger.
The 49ers may not spend much time talking about this spot publicly, but it could matter once the games count. George Kittle remains the clear centerpiece of the position, yet the team knows how quickly that picture can change over a season, which is why the next layer behind him is worth watching closely during camp. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Still Need One Thing From Mike Evans To Unlock This Offense
Mike Evans has been watching from the sideline for now, his camp work interrupted by a minor quad injury that cropped up during training camp. For a 49ers offense still sorting out its best version, the delay matters because Evans was brought in to bring size and steadiness on the outside, the kind of presence that can change how defenses line up and how Kyle Shanahan can build the passing game.
Shanahan has made it clear the team is being careful with the injury, which is sensible this time of year but still leaves one important question hanging over the offense. If Evans gets back to full speed and stays there, he is expected to hold a major role as an outside receiver, and that kind of availability could determine how quickly San Francisco unlocks what it wants to do on the perimeter. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Receiver Injuries Are Putting DeZhaun Stribling In The Spotlight
The 49ers wide receiver depth has thinned enough in camp that DeZhaun Stribling has started drawing a closer look. With Mike Evans, Christian Kirk and Jacob Cowing among the players dealing with injuries and Ricky Pearsall already out for the season, the rookie has had a chance to put his name into the conversation while San Francisco sorts through its options.
Stribling has helped himself by doing the little things that tend to matter most this time of year, showing strong blocking and reliable hands while earning praise for his tenacity and physicality. Coaches still have not made any public decision on how quickly he might factor into the regular-season rotation, but his camp work has at least made him harder to ignore as the 49ers search for answers at receiver. [Read more 🡒]