Teams tend to have most of their roster questions answered throughout preseason workouts and training camp, but inevitably some will come down to performance in preseason games. That’ll be the case this year for the 49ers. They have a slew of questions that’ll need to be answered during their three exhibition contests.
However, a jam-packed preseason schedule is forcing them to go at their three-game slate a little different than usual.
The elimination of the fourth preseason game last year didn’t change much about 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan’s approach to the preseason. He used the third and final game as a dress rehearsal like they typically would with four games on the preseason schedule.This year will be a little different though. With three games in 13 days beginning Friday at Levi’s Stadium, Shanahan will distribute playing time more sporadically.
“I definitely want to see how these practices go these first two days,” Shanahan said in his press conference ahead of Tuesday’s practice. “I’d like to get guys to play in this game. Mainly because I don’t want them to play in the second game, going to scrimmage (the Vikings), I’m more into the scrimmage than the game. And then it’s them having a chance to get to play in a game four days after that versus Houston, when we get back Sunday morning will be tough. So that’s why I don’t want them to play much in that game, so hopefully a little in one, a little in three and then we will have 17 days to get ready for Week One.”
It also sounds like quarterback Trey Lance will be among the group of players that plays in those first and third contests. Between those two games the 49ers have joint practices with the Vikings in Minnesota before squaring off with them on Aug. 20 at US Bank Stadium. Exactly how much the second-year QB will play is still up in the air.
“I don’t know. I haven’t totally thought about it yet,” Shanahan said. “I didn’t know that we did that last year. Right now, my gut is exactly what I said. That could change after these two practices and what we see out there, but I’d like definitely would like to get him out there this week.”
Ultimately the preseason is successful as long as the team leaves the games fully healthy. That’ll be Shanahan’s priority while also trying to balance a decent workload of game reps for Lance. Readiness for Week 1 will take precedent above all though, so expect to see Lance and the 49ers starters out there for fewer snaps than more regardless of how the games go.
