At long last, the preseason is drawing to a close. As much as people like to pretend it is real football, it’s not. But it still provides some valuable insights and is crucial in building out the roster.
In what should be the most starter-heavy game from the 49ers, here are some guys on the bubble worth keeping your eye on.
Trey Sermon
Sermon has underwhelmed (again), and in a room with five other NFL quality backs, has he done enough to prove he’s worth a roster spot, draft slot aside?
Elijah Mitchell, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Ty Davis-Price are all making this team. Mitchell proved himself last year, Wilson looks like his old self, and Davis-Price has probably been the most impressive back in camp.
JaMycal Hasty was trusted in a third-down back role last year and despite having issues with drops and being overthrown due to his 5-foot-8 stature, the 49ers appear like they still trust him as their best receiving back.
Then there’s undrafted free agent Jordan Mason, who has impressed with just about every opportunity he’s been given.
Now, his spot could be cemented at this point, but in a room as competitive as this one, it feels like he has to show a bit more, unless the coaching staff plans on taking five backs (a pretty staggering number) and/or thinks Mason will make it to the practice squad.
Sermon told KNBR after the first preseason game that he’s worked on being more decisive and felt more comfortable in the 49ers’ system after OTAs this year. But he also admitted that he has a preference towards the pistol, which the team has used with Lance, though rarely employed with Jimmy Garoppolo.
“I definitely like pistol just because I did a lot of that in college, especially at Ohio State, but I’ve gotten used to being in the [I-formation],” Sermon said. “It’s what we do. And I mean, with Trey, we mix it up, we do a little bit of both so I feel like I’m pretty good at both.”
That last part, in concert with his pistol familiarity, might explain why Sermon might make the team regardless of whether or not he impresses. He was drafted in the same class as Lance, with both running offenses that used the pistol and ran reads and options.
Given that comfort, he might be viewed as a favorable option-style runner to pair with Lance. But in the staple, under-center, inside and outside zone concepts, there’s clearly work to be done.
Jason Poe
Poe has been the talk of the town for the last week as the 49ers suddenly started giving him first-team reps.
It begs the question of whether that will continue in the third preseason game, and where Poe fits in with the numbers game. If San Francisco takes nine offensive linemen, he will make the team.
If it takes eight — the usual number on cut day — it’s going to be tricky, unless Mike McGlinchey gets put on the physically unable to perform list, which would mean he’d miss at least the first four games of the season.
Kyle Shanahan said the team’s medical staff was optimistic McGlinchey wouldn’t miss any time, but it’s a situation that bares watching, especially as it pertains to Poe.
If McGlinchey is healthy, the offensive line group has seven absolute locks. There’s him, Trent Williams, Jake Brendel, Aaron Banks, Spencer Burford, Colton McKivitz and Daniel Brunskill.
That’s seven, with Jaylon Moore the likely eighth. Brunskill (who is recovering from his own issue) can also play tackle, but the team discernibly likes Moore as another backup tackle option.
The question might be whether they believe Poe will make it to the practice squad, or whether they feel a more pressing need on the interior offensive line or at tackle. At this point, the value Poe could provide on the interior might warrant him winning a roster spot. But he still seems to be on the outside looking in, if only just.
Qwuantrezz Knight
This is a name which hasn’t been brought up much, but the 49ers cut positionally flexible veteran Darqueze Dennard in the first round of cuts over Knight.
He has been mentioned as being part of a three-man nickel corner competition along with Samuel Womack III and Deommodore Lenoir. The team seems to like him, at least enough to put a position it values in the hands of three young players.
You wouldn’t expect Knight to make the roster at this point, but it’s not out of the question, especially if he can provide on special teams.
With Jimmie Ward’s status uncertain and Jason Verrett out until at least Week 5, the 49ers will need to make sure they have special teams players from the secondary. If Knight can provide slot corner value, too, he might have an outside chance to make the team.
