SANTA CLARA — After playing their first preseason game this weekend, the 49ers are off Tuesday.
Here are some thoughts on the issues facing the team four weeks into the season, which it hopes to reach in the healthiest possible condition:
The problem of the walking wounded
The news following the 17-13 loss at Tennessee was disappointing, as Kalia Davis, who played like he could contribute on the interior of the defensive line, was sidelined until midseason after undergoing knee surgery. The same goes for cornerback Ambry Thomas, who fractured his forearm and was already facing an uphill battle to make the 53-man roster at a reinforced position this offseason.
Both players will be placed on injured reserve, but it’s not like the 49ers will have trouble fielding a 53-man roster in Week 1.
Coach Kyle Shanahan conceded the 23 players who missed practice last Thursday would be a much smaller number in the “old days” of two games a day and an old-school mentality.
Yes, the injuries to Davis and Thomas are unfortunate. But even though they contributed to the cancellation of joint practices with the New Orleans Saints this week, it appears most of the walking wounded are on track for Week 1 against the New York Jets.
“The rest of the players are ready in 10 days to three weeks,” Shanahan said. “We expect them to be ready for the season.”
Linebacker Fred Warner was back on the field Monday. Tight end George Kittle was one of the star attractions. Christian McCaffrey didn’t practice, but he told NFL Network last week that if there was a regular-season game coming up, he would play.
That’s exactly what you’d expect him to say, but for now, it doesn’t seem to be a problem.
At the end of the day, NFL camps and preseasons are designed for one thing: to prepare the team for Week 1. The days of fighting bodies in practice and testing manhood are thankfully long gone. Even Shanahan, who believes that practicing football on a schedule is essential to being good at football, agrees.
The same goes for defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen, who played 10 years as a safety in the NFL, 131 games from 2001 to 2010.
“We went on to practice 10 days in a row before our first day off,” Sorensen recalled last week of his playing days in camp. “You can’t even walk when you wake up. And I’m like, ‘I have two practices today. What do we do?’”
“You always hear that the guys before me had even worse lives.”
Lots of money, head injuries and general body trauma changed everything. And for the better.
Injuries are a concern. In the modern era of football, they are not a major problem at this stage.
Punished in the lead
With Jon Feliciano dealing with a chronic knee issue and Spencer Burford recovering from a broken hand, it appears right guard is the job to lose for Dominick Puni.
“He was good from his first game,” Shanahan said. “It doesn’t seem like a big deal for him. He’s gotten better every day in practice. And when you see that, you really want to see how it plays out in a game and if anything changes.”
Against Tennessee, that’s not the case.
“Anytime somebody gets starting reps, it’s always open,” Shanahan said. “You don’t just give it away and everything, but it’s always an opportunity. People get opportunities and you see how they take advantage of them. He’s doing a hell of a job so far.”
The dynamic kick-off
Shanahan was only half serious — I think — when asked about the new kickoff rules and the possibility that the 49ers could just kick into the end zone and let the opponent start on the 30-yard line.
“It’s a hell of an idea,” Shanahan said. “Yeah, we’re all talking about it and it seems like it’s going to make a lot of sense once the season starts. But this was our first week doing it.”
Shanahan’s philosophy is not to expect special teams to win games. He just expects them not to create losses. Shanahan is spending more time than usual with special teams, more than he likes.
“I’ve always thought the key to special teams is just being tough,” Shanahan said. “You want to win the game on special teams, but the key is not to lose the game. And when you’re going through new experiences like this, there’s a lot of unknowns and that’s why we all have to embrace it.”
It’s safe to assume that in Week 1, the 49ers will struggle with kickoff returns and Deebo Samuel will play a role. It will be interesting to see if Samuel can rise above the initial wave and make a big play.
The chances of seeing this in a preseason game are slim, however.
The Return of Hufanga
2022 All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga could be cleared to practice this week after a doctor visit. It promises to be one of the most interesting moments of the preseason.
Ji’Ayir Brown appears to be locked into a safety role. George Odum has been running alongside Brown since Day 1. Odum’s contributions on special teams are the reason he’s on the roster, but Shanahan said that won’t stop him from starting on defense if it’s best for the team.
And then there’s Malik Mustapha, who was a big goal-line talent as well as a good special teams tackle on kickoff returns. The 49ers would love to see Mustapha become a workhorse on the back end, and his debut is encouraging.
Hufanga is going to have to be extremely good right away to reclaim his starting role in Week 1. He was a hot commodity in 2022, but under defensive coordinator Steve Wilks in his second season, Hufanga seemed to struggle to regain that form until he got injured.
The Aiyuk-Williams Saga
It seems like Brandon Aiyuk’s problem is pretty clear. He wants more than the 49ers are willing to pay. And the 49ers aren’t interested in trading him without compensation they deem appropriate. Is Aiyuk ultimately willing to accept less to play with a team he already knows, a system he already knows, and a pretty good chance at another good playoff chance? To be kind, the signals are mixed.
As for Trent Williams, we are a few weeks away from the panic phase. As Aaron Banks said a few weeks ago, “when he comes back, he will still be Trent Williams.”
