Kurtis Rourke only played in one preseason game for the 49ers, but that single outing was more than enough to put him squarely on Kyle Shanahan’s radar as a serious backup option. The preseason is officially over, and with roster decisions looming, Rourke made a compelling case that should give the coaching staff confidence.
A Single Game Masterclass
It’s a bummer Rourke was banged up, because seeing him grow over three weeks with extended reps would have been awesome. But those 16 drop backs we got to see? Pure gold. It was more than enough to see a quality backup right there. Half his completions went for first downs, talk about efficiency! He was selectively aggressive, completing all four passes beyond 10 yards. That 32-yard beauty to De’Zhaun Stribling on third down? That’s exactly the kind of aggressive decision Kyle Shanahan wants from his QB. Rourke handled pressure like a seasoned pro, even avoiding a sack. He absolutely looked the part, and you just know Shanahan can’t even *think* about losing him to waivers.
The Other Side of the Roster Coin
While Rourke was making things look easy for Shanahan, some guys made them, well, *harder* in a different way. Kyle Shanahan likes it when players make it easy on him for roster spots. Jacob Cowing certainly did that with an 80+ yard punt return in the second game, a classic “make it easy” moment. De’Zhaun Stribling’s spot was never in doubt, and he consistently made an impact in both games, even hauling in that beautiful 32-yarder from Rourke. On defense, Jack Jones had the ball production Raheem Morris was craving at cornerback, giving him some real confidence.
Then there’s Jordan Watkins. The box score might look okay, but when you really dig into what happened under the hood? Yikes. This guy might not be an NFL player, at least not for the 49ers. Football’s a violent game, and Watkins too often shied away from contact or failed to produce through it. In the final game, he turtled on his first kickoff return and waited to block a safety, getting driven back instead of being the aggressor. Add in some questionable ball tracking in the air, and you’re left wondering if the 49ers should listen to what Watkins is showing them and just move on.
The preseason’s wrapped, and now the real pressure is on Shanahan and the coaching staff. With only 3-5 roster spots truly up for grabs, every decision is magnified. After seeing what Rourke did in just one game, keeping him has to be priority number one. It’s going to be wild to see how these final cuts shake out!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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