The 49ers on Saturday notched their first preseason win of the year with a come-from-behind 21-20 win over the Broncos.
While preseason games don’t count toward the standings and some trends can be deceiving, there were a few important things that will matter once the games count.
Here are seven takeaways that matter from Saturday’s win:
Backup QB battle
There was an interesting twist Saturday that could indicate where the 49ers backup QB battle is heading. Sam Darnold was the first QB on in relief of Brock Purdy, who got the start. That was the plan before the game, but the twist is that Darnold got a series with the four members of the 49ers offensive line that started the game. That could be an indication that Darnold is leading the way in the race for the QB2 job since he’s getting those snaps with the first team.
Trey Lance helped his cause though. He looked more comfortable than he did against the Raiders, and he once again improved as the game rolled on. There are still some pieces to put together, but any improvement for him is good at this point.
The injury bug
The 49ers managed to escape their first preseason game without injury, but the same wasn’t the case Saturday. Wide receiver Danny Gray suffered a shoulder injury during the contest and didn’t return. The extent of the injury is unclear according to head coach Kyle Shanahan’s postgame press conference. Defensive lineman Kerry Hyder Jr. had a stinger, and running back Jeremy McNichols sustained a hamstring injury that put him out for the game. Avoiding injury is the biggest key in the preseason, and San Francisco could have a couple players dealing with issues heading into the final preseason game.
Deebo Samuel looks good
There was a lot of talk heading into training camp about how in shape Samuel looked compared to previous years. He caught two of his three targets for 39 yards on the first series. More importantly, he looked explosive and elusive after the catch, which were two qualities he didn’t have in abundance early last season. Talk of a player being in shape is one thing, but seeing Samuel perform at a high level in his preseason debut is a great sign for him getting out to a fast start in 2023.
What's rust to a Brock?
Brock Purdy got the start for San Francisco on Saturday in his first game action since tearing his UCL in the NFC championship game. Rust was not a factor for the QB who looked sharp on his lone series. He completed four-of-five throws for 65 yards. He looked poised in the pocket, moved outside the pocket effectively, threw from different arm angles and in general appeared to be the QB who went undefeated in his first seven starts last year. There was some concern about how he’d look facing a defense in live game action, but he looks to have cleared any mental hurdles left in his recovery.
Nickel CB swap
It was Ambry Thomas with the starting defense as the nickel cornerback against Denver. He entered the game as an outside CB with Deommodore Lenoir playing in the slot. It may wind up being that Thomas, Lenoir and Charvarius Ward are the team’s three best CBs, which is a substantial leap for Thomas who was virtually a non-factor last year. It’s also worth noting CBs AJ Parker and Samuel Womack III played well with the reserves. There’s a lot to figure out at CB over the last week of the preseason, but based on last night’s starters it’s Thomas in the lead for the nickel CB job.
A sloppy affair
While the 49ers got a win, it was far from clean which may be the most problematic thing coming out of the game. They committed three turnovers, and fumbled a fourth time that they recovered. San Francisco also committed nine penalties for 76 yards. Flags and turning the ball over are two things that can sink a good team. They’ll have to iron out both of those issues by the time the season begins.
Rookies have a day
A handful of 49ers rookies made their mark Saturday. Undrafted rookie fullback Jack Colletto found the end zone from 11 yards out on his first preseason reception. Third-round tight end Cameron Latu had a bounce-back game and hauled in three of his four targets for 46 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Ronnie Bell, a seventh-round pick, posted 114 receiving yards on seven catches, and third-round kicker Jake Moody drilled all three of his field goal tries, including a game-winner. Rookie linebackers Dee Winters and Jalen Graham also had good outings with each recording a pair of tackles and a forced fumble.
