By admin 
The 49ers play their second preseason game of the summer on Thursday, when they go against some old friends.
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They’ll be taking on the Los Angeles Chargers, coached by former 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh along with Kyle Shanahan’s former right hand and offensive coordinator, Mike McDaniel. The teams on Tuesday went held a joint practice in El Segundo, with the Chargers reportedly holding the upper hand.
The teams will square off in the regular season in a Thursday night game Dec. 17, so they will likely keep their cards close the chest in Thursday’s exhibition.
But positional and roster battles are raging on for San Francisco, who have decisions to make before the roster is trimmed from 90 to 53 players on Aug. 30.
Here are 10 things to watch for the 49ers on Thursday. Kickoff is 7 p.m. with the game televised on NFL Network.
How much will Brock Purdy play?
Shanahan said his franchise quarterback will get some action, but don’t expect him to play much.
The best guess? If he leads a long scoring drive on the opening possession, that will probably be it. If they go three-and-out to start, maybe he plays a second series or the entire first quarter, at most.
Look for Mac Jones to get some time, followed by Adrian Martinez. Kurtis Rourke remains the leader for the No. 3 job over Martinez but might not play after suffering a rib injury in the 49ers’ preseason opener.
How does Kaelon Black look?
The 49ers have been missing their top four running backs for the majority of training camp. Black returned to practice on Tuesday after missing more than two weeks with an adductor injury.
He’s looking to plant his flag as Christian McCaffrey’s backup in the competition with Jordan James, who remains out with a rib injury.
Expect Black to play a good chunk of snaps Thursday to solidify his standing after San Francisco drafted him in the third round, calling him the second-best running back in the draft despite being the third off the board.
Can De’Zhaun Stribling continue his hot start?
The rookie receiver has been the story of camp. Stribling’s play in practice — and the preseason opener — has caused expectations to swell.
There should be plenty of opportunity for Stribling given the season-ending injury to Ricky Pearsall, Mike Evans coming off missing the most games of his career in 2025, and the departures of Jauan Jennings and Brandon Aiyuk.
The 49ers have been aching to develop a draftee into a star, and Stribling might be their best shot since drafting Purdy in 2022.
Will Mike Evans play or stay on ice?
Speaking of Evans, he’s been in and out of practice recently with a quadriceps injury, which reportedly popped up again on Tuesday.
Evans was seen leaving practice to get his ankle iced, and then moved the icepack to his quad, which caused him to miss time earlier in camp.
It’s logical to keep the 32-year-old from risking injury in the preseason, but coaches have said Evans is still building chemistry with Purdy and the preseason work could be valuable.
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Jacob Cowing vs. Jordan Watkins: Who’s the returner?
The 49ers don’t have an experienced option at punt returner, which 49ers know can make or break a championship season.
It appears former Day 2 draftees Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins are the top two options. Though there might only be room for one on the final roster.
Cowing has been banged up throughout training camp after missing all of 2025 with a significant hamstring injury, while Watkins is looking to prove he belongs after a two-catch rookie season. Neither has done enough to stand out at this point.
Can Carver Willis lock down the LG spot?
The 49ers have been trying three different players at left guard — with Shanahan saying none have done enough to win the job yet.
Connor Colby began camp there and then reps went to Robert Jones.
San Francisco would likely prefer Willis takes it and doesn’t look back. That’s what they envisioned when they drafted him in the fourth round in April.
Can Alfred Collins improve?
The 49ers have big hopes for their big defensive tackle they added in the second round of the 2025 draft. But Collins was pushed around in the preseason opener in his first action since offseason shoulder surgery.
For now, the shoulder can be viewed as a reason for his slow start. But he’s going to have to play better soon, because there are no established options at defensive tackle other than Osa Odighizuwa.
It’s hard to imagine the defense being good enough to contend without Collins turning into a big-time player.
Besides Stribling, which other rookies stay hot?
The 49ers have to be happy with what they’ve seen from their rookie class early on. Stribling is the talk of the town, but the additions on defense appear ready to contribute. The question is, at what level?
Romello Height and Gracen Halton have shown signs as pass rushers. Jaden Dugger is a versatile, long linebacker who has gotten a lot of work with the starters. Ephesians Prysock looks like he could be a starting-caliber corner soon.
Thursday will be another chance for all the rookie to get reps.
Does Nick Martin fit?
The 49ers added Martin to be the future at weak side linebacker when they drafted him in the third round in 2025.
But things have changed, including the insertion of Raheem Morris as defensive coordinator implementing a new scheme. Morris has moved Martin around, and it appears Martin might have been passed up by Dugger on the depth chart.
Martin has gotten a long look at strong side outside linebacker, but it appears to be an awkward fit. Might he help the 49ers upgrade at another position (like left guard) in a trade?
Better undrafted defender: James Thompson Jr. or Bryson Eason?
Going way down the depth chart at defensive tackle, there appears to be an interesting battle between a pair of undrafted rookies.
Thompson has ascended as far as earning first team reps in recent practices due to injuries, while Eason (listed at 323 pounds) is the only true run-stuffing nose tackle on the roster.
The 49ers defensive line hasn’t been great defending the run in practice or in the first preseason game. So there could be an interesting decision to make between Thompson’s pass rushing upside and the need for Eason to plug the run.
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