CAPTAIN SANTA CLARA: The New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers’ joint practices were canceled, which makes their preseason game on Sunday even more important.
Where is greater consistency desired by Kyle Shanahan and his team? Which positions on the roster are still available?
Here are five things to watch in the game:
Can Dee Winters be more consistent?
Winters will be part of the 49ers’ plans both this season and next. His position as their third linebacker—the so-called strongside ‘backer—on the field for base passes is something they would like. They also question if he can handle the much larger weakside role the following season if he performs well in that one. De’Vondre Campbell Sr. and Dre Greenlaw, the two players assigned to that position this year, are not signed for the duration of the season.
Winters was a little out of control in the preseason game in Tennessee, though, after practicing well. As promised, he was quick and combative, although he also overran a tackle attempt and occasionally appeared out of step when covering passes.
“It’s just details, the fundamental details,” defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen said Wednesday. “And then once you have that and that’s second nature, that’s when you see him really flying and taking his shots. We want him to play like that all the time. So it’s just, how can we cut it loose like that as consistently as possible?”
A young athlete like Winters would understandably be a little too excited for his first live action of the season. Against the Saints, the 49ers would prefer to see him get settled in. If he is unable to do so, the team may have to start Curtis Robinson or Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, two experienced players, at strongside early in the season.
Who takes Kalia Davis’ spot in the rotation?
After having knee surgery on Thursday, Davis will be sidelined for a few weeks. He was expected to be the 49ers’ sixth defensive lineman of the year. He performed admirably against the Titans and, in Sorensen’s opinion, distinguished himself throughout practices.
“I know he’s had some injuries in the past, but I loved how he was playing,” Sorensen said. “I was so fired up for him, and it was every day.”
Now, the question is whether there is a deserving contender to finish fifth, after Kevin Givens, Jordan Elliott, Maliek Collins, and Javon Hargrave. Two young players, Shakel Brown (No. 60) and rookie Evan Anderson (No. 66), are possibilities.
With Collins and especially Elliott, the 49ers made a determined attempt to bulk up the interior of their defensive line throughout the summer. Brown and Anderson both fit within the same full-figured category. In the first preseason game, Anderson played 34 snaps. Brown possessed 28. On Saturday, they should see around the same amount of playing time.
Similar to Winters, the 49ers have great expectations for Luter, who they selected in the fifth round of the previous draft. They believe he can be one of their backup cornerbacks this year and maybe step up in the following campaign in the event that either Deommodore Lenoir or Charvarius Ward — or both? — decide to become free agents.
Luter’s first preseason game is on Sunday. He had an ankle ailment on Saturday in Tennessee and was sidelined due to a knee condition that he had last summer. This week, he made his comeback to practice, primarily playing left cornerback for the second team defense.
The 49ers are pleased with Luter’s performance during practices. But in his rookie campaign last year, he played in just 64 defensive snaps, the majority of which came in the low-stakes regular-season finale against the Los Angeles Rams reserves. Even during the preseason, he benefits from repeated game-day activities.
Joshua Dobbs delivered this highlight-reel touchdown run in the 49ers’ preseason opener in Tennessee. (Steve Roberts / USA Today)
Can Joshua Dobbs challenge status quo at QB?
The 49ers have been making judgments on the quarterback position at this time of year.
Two years ago at this time, Brock Purdy, a rookie, overtook veteran Nate Sudfeld. By contrast, Sam Darnold distanced himself from Trey Lance around this time last year.
It will be fascinating to watch Joshua Dobbs’ arrival time and the number of snaps he plays against the Saints in this regard. Although Brandon Allen and Josh Dobbs are reportedly in competition for the No. 2 spot, Allen has obviously been treated more like the No. 2 thus far this summer, receiving repetitions ahead of Dobbs in workouts and the opening preseason game.
Later this month, might the 49ers cut Dobbs and start him as their No. 3 quarterback on the practice squad? This week, the Minnesota Vikings, who saw Dobbs start four games in the previous season, lost first-round pick J.J. McCarthy for the whole season because of a knee injury, which looked to make it even riskier.
The offensive line is still being sorted out
Once more, all eyes will be on rookie guard Dominick Puni, who appeared a lot like he does in practice during his first preseason game. In other words, he was composed, strong, and not at all out of place.
Another outing like that and Puni will become the front-runner in the competition to start at right guard in Week 1. After all, his competition for the spot, Spencer Burford (hand) and Jon Feliciano (knee), haven’t practiced much this summer.
Puni is not the only offensive lineman to keep an eye on either. Chris Hubbard and veteran tackle Brandon Parker are vying for maybe one spot on the 53-man roster. Jaylon Moore was not feeling well, so Hubbard started the preseason opener at left tackle. Parker took over at right tackle for Colton McKivitz after the first series. Both are playing positions that are not their strong suits—Parker is more at ease on the left side, and Hubbard is a touch better at right tackle—according to offensive line coach Chris Forrester in an effort to make them more versatile and hence better swing-tackle prospects.
The 49ers must also choose Jake Brendel’s center-backer for the upcoming campaign. According to Foerster, Nick Zakelj, who started at center for last week’s game, currently holds an advantage over Ben Bartch.
“If you looked at them and said, ‘What’s Zakelj’s strength and what’s Bartch’s,’ I think Zakelj’s probably playing a little bit better at center and Bartch is playing guard better,” Foerster said. “That’s why I give (Zakelj) the edge right now, but they’re both right there.”
(Top photo of Darrell Luter Jr.: Michael Zagaris / San Francisco 49ers / Getty Images)
