The San Francisco 49ers are limping into their preseason finale on Thursday night against the Las Vegas Raiders with a glaring need at left guard. But if you think that’s the only spot giving Kyle Shanahan nightmares, you haven’t been paying attention.
The Safety Shuffle
Remember when the Niners skipped safeties in the draft, supposedly showing “confidence in what they had in-house”? Yeah, about that. Malik Mustapha is still sidelined with injury, leaving the second safety spot wide open next to Ji’Ayir Brown. Marques Sigle *should* be the guy, the slam-dunk starter, but his preseason performance has made that “anything but certain.” Seriously, “anything but certain”? That’s not exactly a vote of confidence. They even brought in veteran Ashtyn Davis late in the offseason after seeing their options during OTAs. Shanahan himself admitted not many starters would play in this final preseason tilt, but the fact that this safety spot is still such a “big concern” without a clear winner tells you everything. Thursday night isn’t just about reps for these guys, it’s about earning a Week 1 start.
Cornerback Chaos
Over on the other side of the secondary, it’s not much clearer. Deommodore Lenoir is dealing with a shoulder injury, though apparently he’ll be fine for their Australia trip. Good for him. But who lines up opposite him? Renardo Green has a hamstring issue, which isn’t ideal. The “logical choice” seems to be veteran Jack Jones, who’s apparently impressed everyone in preseason. But hold up, what if “upstart” Ephesians Prysock throws a wrench in that plan on Thursday night? And don’t forget Darrell Luter, Jr., who “always seems to find himself in the mix somehow.” So, while the “smart money” might be on Jones if Green is out, we all saw what Jacob Cowing did last week. One big play and suddenly nothing is “set in stone.” Talk about a mess.
Linebacker’s Lingering Questions
Linebacker was a “position of concern” going into this offseason, then it shifted to a “deep group” with the emergence of Garrett Wallow, Jaden Dugger, and Nick Martin. But guess what? Injuries are still tearing through that room, with Martin and Luke Gifford both dealing with issues. Now they’ve added veteran Deion Jones, supposedly just a “camp body” to get through the game. But don’t sleep on that “camp body” tag. If Jones can have a strong performance, especially contributing on special teams, he could snag a roster spot if Gifford’s injury hangs around. The “impact of the special teams ace shouldn’t be overlooked,” they say. Thursday night is gonna be “interesting for a few reasons” for this group, alright.
So, with the final preseason whistle about to blow, the 49ers have more questions than answers at critical defensive spots. Left guard might be their “biggest need,” but these secondary and linebacker battles are just as crucial. Thursday night against the Raiders isn’t just about finishing up the exhibition schedule. These are starting jobs on the line, and Shanahan better hope some clarity emerges before Week 1. Otherwise, it’s gonna be a long season down south.
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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