Kurtenbach: Four things 49ers need to show me in their second preseason game
San Francisco 49ers: Can Trey Lance beat up on lesser competition? Can the Niners’ rookie kicker make a kick? We’ll find out when San Francisco plays the Broncos Saturday.
I’m not going to tell you that NFL preseason games aren’t important, but I’m also not going to pretend that there’s nothing to watch.
There’s a lot to take in, and not all of it is positive.
So, let’s get down to business: Here’s what I’m looking for in Saturday’s preseason home opener against the Broncos:
1. Jake Moody making a field goal
» The 49ers spent significant draft capital on Moody, the best kicker in this year’s NFL Draft, prompting criticism from some fans who felt it was too early to select a player who would lead the team in scoring.
Last week, after the No. 99 overall pick missed two field goals in the Niners’ preseason opener, there was a new round of condemnation (and cynical back-patting).
Moody has made a lot of money in practice. Behind the scenes, he’s quite impressive. The issue is that football games are now played in front of a paying audience, at least since the end of the pandemic. That is the setting in which Moody must perform.
After kicking in the Big Ten, there’s little reason to believe Moody’s struggles against the Raiders were due to the “stage.” But, just to quiet the naysayers, he should hit a couple of field goals — the distance doesn’t matter — on Saturday.
2. Drake Jackson winning reps
The 49ers’ top priority should be bringing Nick Bosa back to the Bay, as his holdout has reached dangerous levels.
But it would be nice to know who will start opposite him on the defensive line after that.
Drake Jackson was supposed to take over as the starter this season, but injuries and underwhelming performances in training camp have cost him a spot in the top four.
But Clelin Ferrell is getting rave reviews, and he could be the man for the job.
Jackson is expected to play on Saturday. It’s time for him to say something.
3. Trey Lance beating up third-stringers
According to Kyle Shanahan of KNBR, Brock Purdy could play on Saturday.
Shanahan will play Sam Darnold at quarterback after Purdy and the starters. This is his chance to prove that he is the best candidate to be Purdy’s backup.
Lance is relegated to the second half and reps against guys who will be on practice squads and (if they’re lucky) CFL rosters in a few weeks.
I don’t care who is blocking for him, or if his weapons all appear to be wearing the wrong-sized jerseys — if Lance plays against the Broncos’ back end, he needs to carve them up.
That means Lance must not only throw the ball on time and with accuracy, but he must also push the ball down the field and make things happen with his legs.
If the former third-round pick can’t pick apart the No. 3s, the Niners are in big trouble.
If he can and does, it expands the backup quarterback competition and may even spark trade interest in Lance.
4. A cornerback interception
» I’ve had no problem telling every reporter and media personality I’ve seen keeping stats during training camp that they’re ridiculous and uninformative.
But here’s an unconfirmed statistic I heard on Thursday that makes me wonder: The 49ers’ cornerbacks have yet to intercept a pass in practice.
Yes, the 49ers frequently throw the ball over the middle, but you’d think Charvarius Ward would have intercepted a pass by now.
Saturday would be an ideal day for that statistic — which may or may not be accurate — to change.
Because it’s difficult not to think about something like that after hearing it. Please allow me to think about something else.
