Much of the 49ers’ roster crunch is yet to be figured out. The team’s second preseason game, a matchup with the Denver Broncos on Saturday, should help provide clarity to some of the positional battles. Kyle Shanahan discussed some of the preparation and roster hierarchy on Wednesday.
Preseason Game No. 2
Shanahan that his plan for who would be active would largely depend on how Friday’s practice goes, and that it’s “not set in stone.” That said, he expects the quarterback plan to be similar to the preseason opener.
“What I said last week, we wanted Trey to get the majority of the first half, same as the next week,” Shanahan said. “So that’s what we’re planning on, so we’ll see how the next two practices go before we decide for sure.”
He also addressed the kicking situation, following Jake Moody’s poor performance in the opener. Moody pulled his first kick left from 40 yards and sliced his other from 59 yards to the right.
Zane Gonzalez was originally planned to take the second kick, but Shanahan said that he wanted to give Moody another chance.
Against Denver, both will kick.
“Zane has looked too good to not give him a chance,” Shanahan said. “That was the plan last week, too. And we were gonna have Moody go and Zane come in the next, but after he missed that, I wanted to give him another chance.”
Quarterback questions
Shanahan was asked about the criticism that has followed Lance as the No. 3 overall pick and how he’s dealt with it, especially as of late.
His said criticism is part of the job description.
“It just goes with the territory for quarterbacks,” Shanahan said. “I mean, Trey is extremely smart, very socially aware. He knows how the world works. And so he does his best, which I think is a damn good job, trying to block all of that out and just focus on getting better and I think that’s what he’s done so far.
As for Lance’s standing on the depth chart, Shanahan declined to offer any insight. He said only, of the No. 2 job, that Sam Darnold and Lance are “competing for it.”
On the subject of criticism, Brock Purdy faced some on a day in which he threw two interceptions, and nearly had another. One was a 50-50 ball towards Brandon Aiyuk in the back of the end zone, which Deommodore Lenoir broke up and Tashaun Gipson Sr. snagged.
The other was a leaping pick by Curtis Robinson, who sunk back and read Purdy to undercut a route well. He was stripped by Kyle Juszczyk on the return, and Purdy recovered the ball. Robinson nearly had an identical interception earlier, but couldn’t hold on.
Shanahan, however, didn’t seem bothered. He wants aggression from his quarterbacks.
“You never want interceptions in any situation,” Shanahan said. “There’s never one answer, each one is different. I definitely like having interceptions a lot more in practices than games. One thing Brock does is he lets it rip. He’s not worried about anything else. Especially not worried about people counting his interceptions in practice. That doesn’t mean they’re all right. But I do like him letting it rip. And I like him learning from things that you can’t get away with, things you can get away with. Our defense got their hands on a lot of balls, not just Brock’s but I definitely want our quarterbacks to cut down on them. But I also want them to make real throws.”
This mirrors what Shanahan said of Lance earlier in the week following his nearly intercepted touchdown pass against the Raiders. He encouraged Lance to be more aggressive and to “rip it,” in the same way he sees Purdy doing.
Lastly, it should be noted that Brandon Allen was absent on Wednesday. He and his wife, Sarah, celebrated the birth of their second child earlier this week.
Other injury notes and competition updates
In non-quarterback news, Shanahan said Elijah Mitchell, who was present doing rehab work on Wednesday, is “close” to a return.
His absence has allowed for extended reps for Ty Davis-Price and Jordan Mason.
A similar situation has played out in the receiving room, where Ray-Ray McCloud’s absence has provided return and receiving opportunities.
The most prominent names in the receiving competition — likely for the sixth spot on the depth chart — are Ronnie Bell, Willie Snead IV and Chris Conley. Bell has shown confidence as a returner, while Snead is a reliable pass-catcher and stellar blocker. Conley provides experience and a large frame the 49ers don’t otherwise have at the receiving position.
Shanahan said the competition there is “tight.”
“Sometimes we keep five, usually we have,” Shanahan said. “Sometimes we keep six and especially Ray-Ray being hurt kind of opens some things up, so it’s gonna be a tight race.”
McCloud’s timeline is murky, but Shanahan said he doesn’t expect him to need time on injured reserve. If he is back within a week or two of the start of the season, the 49ers could potentially opt to keep just five receivers and look elsewhere, like to corner D’Shawn Jamison, for the early return duties.
If there is a leader in the clubhouse for that sixth spot, though, it’s probably Bell. Aside from a bad drop-turned-INT, he flashed talent, utility and return capability.