Kyle Shanahan revealed the San Francisco 49ers won’t trot out many starters for their final preseason game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday. It’s no shocker when you consider over twenty players are dealing with injuries. Big names like Mike Evans, Christian McCaffrey, Nick Bosa, and George Kittle are all on that list, leaving a lot of questions as they prep for their regular season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia.
Injuries Mounting, Starters On The Sidelines
This team is heading into Week 1 of the regular season with serious health concerns. Over twenty guys are dinged up, with players like De’Zhaun Stribling also among the injured. Shanahan’s banking on most being back for the Rams opener, but that’s a lot of talent to have sitting out. It tracks with their usual preseason approach, though. Historically, the 49ers view Week 2 as the time for their top players to get a couple of series, keeping them wrapped in bubble wrap for the final game. Shanahan plans for the Raiders game, basically telling everyone not to expect much. He said, “I don’t think you’ll see many starters. We just don’t have enough time as we usually do, so I’ll be surprised if any of them are out there. There might be a couple, but it will be closer to how Week 1 was.”
Who’s Even Playing? The Cornerback Scramble
So who actually got reps in their preseason opener? Not many of the guys we expect to see. In Week 1, the only potential starters who suited up were defensive tackle Alfred Collins, safety Marques Sigle, wideout De’Zhaun Stribling, and left guard Carver Willis. That’s a short list, right? The real action to keep an eye on, if you’re looking for it, is the cornerback battle. Renardo Green sat out the first preseason game entirely and only saw nine snaps as a starter in the second. Meanwhile, Jack Jones has been out there playing a good amount in both. It looks like the Niners are trying to figure out who deserves that spot. Ultimately, the decision to rest most players is all about avoiding more injuries and getting ready for that long haul to Australia for Week 1.
Kubiak’s Call, Shanahan’s Return to the Mic?
Here’s another interesting wrinkle: Kyle Shanahan won’t be calling plays against the Raiders either. Offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak has been handling that duty for a few years now, continuing this offseason, especially after Shanahan’s car accident. But don’t get too used to it. The head coach did mention he’s “most likely” going to be back on the headset calling plays for the season opener. “Most likely” isn’t a definite yes, though. It sounds like it hasn’t been fully set in stone yet, which is a wild card for their offense going into a new season, especially with all those injuries. You gotta wonder if he’s really ready to jump back in the thick of it from day one.
As the 49ers wrap up their preseason with a skeleton crew against the Raiders, the focus shifts entirely to that Week 1 regular season clash with the Rams in Australia. Their health is the biggest question mark, and that long flight isn’t going to make things any easier. Will all those banged-up stars be back? Will Shanahan actually call plays? We’ll find out when the real games begin, but for now, it’s a lot of waiting and hoping for our division rivals.
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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