The San Francisco 49ers are not expected to show much of their starting lineup in their first preseason game, and Kyle Shanahan made that clear on Tuesday.
“There won't be many starters playing,” Shanahan said. “We'll see with injuries today and stuff.
That doesn't mean none, but we've got to balance that out. We haven't told the players yet, so wait until we do that with them this afternoon.”
That approach fits what the 49ers have done in the past. In the first preseason game, Shanahan usually keeps most of his core players on the sideline or gives them only a brief run. This year, the logic is even easier to follow after the team already got meaningful work in a joint practice with the Tennessee Titans.
Those reps matter more to Shanahan than the preseason opener does, so there’s not much reason to put the starters through a game that doesn’t count.
Still, the 49ers may not be able to keep everyone out. With the number of injuries they’re dealing with, they do not have the luxury of sitting every healthy starter.
Renardo Green could play, along with a few offensive linemen such as Jake Brendel, and Ji’Ayir Brown also seems like a possibility. On the other hand, Dre Greenlaw, Mike Evans, and Osa Odighizuwa would not be expected to take part.
The more important spotlight may come in the second preseason game, when Shanahan typically gives his starters a heavier workload. That’s usually when the majority of them get two or three series.
Even then, some of the biggest names still would not be expected to play. Christian McCaffrey, Trent Williams, Fred Warner, Greenlaw, and Evans are all players who are prohibited from preseason action.
The reasoning is simple: if those players are going to get hurt, the 49ers would much rather have it happen in a game that actually counts. They also do not need the usual preseason buildup. Training camp already has them moving at full speed.
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