SANTA CLARA – Levi’s Stadium will host a 49ers game this Saturday for the first time since January’s playoff win over Dallas.
To prepare for the Denver Broncos’ preseason visit, we opened up our mailbox of questions via social media from the 49ers Faithful:
With a Super Bowl-contending team that needs every win, can the 49ers count on a rookie kicker to win? (@diehard49ersfans)
It worked in 1994, when they last won a Super Bowl and did so with rookie kicker Doug Brien, who, like Jake Moody, was drafted in the third round. By the way, Brien did not make a field goal in the 1999 preseason opener (a 17-7 loss at Arizona). Moody missed both of his field goal tries on Sunday, but knocked through an extra point.
Do you think Brock will play one or two plays? (@matty_maff)
No, I expect Brock Purdy to sit out the farce known as preseason football. And no need for a ceremonial gesture of a home-field cameo against the Broncos on Saturday or the Chargers next Friday. Most important, Purdy took all the first-team reps in last week’s joint practices with the Raiders. His surgically repaired elbow checked out well enough for the 49ers to take off restrictions so he can practice three straight days this week for the first time in his comeback.
Should we be worried about the Niners’ lack of depth? (@griffin.dow)
That’s a valid concern every year, because the backups are, well, not as good as the starters. Instead of a glass-half-empty view, consider that no 49ers’ regular-season starters were hurt in the making of Sunday’s 34-7 Vegas dive – because none played. Others got the reps and avoided injuries, and, “That was very the bright spot of the week,” Kyle Shanahan said.
When will Bosa sign? (@my_ink_project_1988)
Well, with an ode to your handle, Nick Bosa is expected to ink a deal before the season opener, so that deadline remains over three weeks away — don’t panic, yet. The 49ers have not indicated they’ll enforce a $40,000 daily fine or withhold $1 million for each preseason game skipped, which they can do under the collective bargaining agreement for no-shows under rookie contracts.
No Danny Gray on Sunday? Is he hurt? (@tyler.pfibsen)
Hip tightness kept Gray out of the joint practices and Sunday’s exhibition. The second-year wide receiver is expected to practice this week, as are linebacker Dre Greenlaw (hamstring), running back Elijah Mitchell (groin) and defensive linemen Robert Beal Jr. (hamstring) and Kalia Davis (hamstring). Tight end George Kittle (groin) will not practice for a second straight week.
Will we see Darrell Luter Jr. when he is out from PUP? (@jbati_8052)
Luter’s name was not among those mentioned by Shanahan in Monday’s health report, so apparently the fifth-round cornerback is still recovering from his hyperextended knee in June. If the 49ers keep him on the Physically Unable To Perform List into the season, he’ll be eligible to debut after four games.
Do we see more of a rotation on the running backs? (@romanfour0)
Jordan Mason and Ty Davis-Price should be the preseason workhorses for at least another game, before the likes of Jeremy McNichols and Khalan Laborn mop up the exhibition season. In other words, don’t bet on Christian McCaffrey or Mitchell to see unnecessary action.
