Have you ever discovered your self lacking the energy-free environment and pervasive meaninglessness of the fourth preseason recreation because it was eradicated forward of final season?
Effectively, you had been in luck Saturday evening, because the 49ers and Vikings every held out 27 gamers — and virtually all of their starters — for his or her respective second preseason video games.
It was a sleepy affair, even so far as preseason video games go, however there have been a couple of classes delivered:
Males vs. Boys
» When you will have so many backups and soon-to-be-cut gamers are in a recreation, you might be searching for a transparent separation between the highest gamers and the remaining.
Sure, even on the NFL stage, you’re searching for gamers that appear like males in opposition to boys.
The Niners discovered this stage of separation in two gamers Saturday.
The primary was Javon Kinlaw, who shined within the inside of the defensive position, demanding double groups and punishing the Vikings once they went one-on-one. It was an encouraging efficiency for a Niners workforce that’s ready for Kinlaw to dwell as much as his potential for 3 years.
Kinlaw nonetheless must carry out like he did Saturday in opposition to top-flight competitors, nevertheless it was so clear that he was an outlier on the sphere in opposition to the Vikings — that he didn’t belong on that discipline (in a great way) — that it’s onerous to think about him not placing in shift if he stays wholesome.
The second participant — and this got here as a little bit of a shock — was defensive finish Drake Jackson.
The Niners’ first draft choose from this most up-to-date draft, it’s not shocking that Jackson flashed — his bodily expertise is spectacular, and that may’t assist however seem in conditions like this.
No, the shock was merely how typically Jackson demanded one’s consideration on Saturday.
The USC product was in every single place, on a regular basis — he could make a simple case that he was the perfect participant on the sphere Saturday.
In searching for males amongst boys, the 21-year-old should be positioned within the former class.
The power, the bend, the motor? At this weight, 275 kilos, Jackson has the makings of a Professional Bowl-caliber participant.
It’ll most likely take Jackson half a season to determine manifest that expertise in opposition to top-flight competitors, however Saturday was a style of what he ought to have the ability to do in due time.
Line dance
» The chances that Kinlaw and Jackson offered Saturday turn into much more thrilling amid a defensive position that should be the deepest within the NFL.
Kinlaw ought to free Arik Armstead for one-on-ones this season. Jackson, speeding reverse of Nick Bosa? That’s sufficient to show offensive line coaches and offensive coordinators into insomniacs.
However what's going to really problem opposing coaches is how relentless the Niners’ defensive position is. I liked the shift defensive finish Jordan Willis turned in in opposition to the Vikings. Fellow finish Charles Omenihu seemed good, too. As did DE Kemoko Turay.
This workforce has plenty of stable defensive ends, in addition to arguably the perfect within the recreation.
Simply be stable within the center, and this workforce will cease the run at a excessive price and attain the quarterback at one which’s even increased.
Backup plans
» Shanahan fed a bit extra fuel to one thing that had been stewing on a facet burner all through camp: the Niners’ backup quarterback battle.
Brock Purdy has now performed nicely in two preseason video games, and he offers much more of a spark than Nate Sudfeld, the presumed No. 2 on the depth chart to Trey Lance.
So who would be the No. 2 for the Niners?
“There’s nothing executed but, Shanahan mentioned after the sport.
Sudfeld can transfer a bit and has a robust arm, however he practices method higher than he performs in video games.
Purdy can transfer a bit much less and doesn't have a robust arm (by NFL requirements), however he looks as if a gamer — he performs higher in video games than he practices.
However the reply is that Sudfeld would be the backup. It’s not as a result of he’s the higher quarterback, however as an alternative as a result of the Niners gave him $2 million in assured cash to return to the workforce this yr. Purdy, the final choose within the draft, will be minimize and would doubtless be a Niners’ observe squad participant.
It's attention-grabbing that this topic is one thing Shanahan was marginally coy about Saturday. Good for Purdy.
Right here’s one other little bit of fact: The Niners aren’t profitable video games with both quarterback. Sudfeld is a worse model of Jimmy Garoppolo and Purdy is the second coming of Nick Mullens.
Shanahan has a sort. Lance, it seems, is a change-up to it — and that’s factor. And as long as No. 5 stays wholesome, the Niners have an opportunity to do one thing particular this yr.