San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (13) celebrates with guard Jon Feliciano (55) and offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) - Kelley L Cox/USA TODAY Sports
The second preseason game for the San Francisco 49ers will take place this Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. In week one, there were little to no 49ers starters in the game. Just a couple of players, but not the brunt of the starters on the field. This week, the 49ers are expected to play starters. Here are more details on what to expect against the Saints.
Starters to Play Against the Saints
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed this week to the media that starters will play against the New Orleans Saints. So what does this mean? Honestly, the starters will just be in for a series or two. This is still the first time fans, and of course, the 49ers staff will get to see the majority of the starters in a game this year.
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy will be taking the field for the first time since the Super Bowl loss. This is the first offseason where Purdy gets to practice as a starter for the entire camp. In 2022, Purdy was just a rookie who began fourth on the depth chart, eventually moving his way up to third. He then spent the 2023 season recovering from the UCL tear that he sustained in the NFC Championship game against the Philadelphia Eagles. Purdy is currently healthy and has been working hard. He will get a chance to get reps in against another team’s defense.
The 49ers defense will also be taking the field for the first time with a new defensive coordinator. It is time to see how Nick Sorensen works with this unit. The players may not be on the field long, but it is a chance to prepare for the 2024 regular season. While it is just the preseason to fans, this is the time for the staff to see what is working and what is not. This defense has a decent amount of new players and a couple of young players competing for starting spots. This is another chance for them to prove themselves.
San Francisco 49ers Players Not to Expect
Now onto players to not expect this weekend against New Orleans. First up is wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk. Aiyuk has still not signed an extension. Though he is under contract, he has not yet practiced with the team, he will not be playing this weekend. Even if there is an extension ahead of Sunday’s matchup, Aiyuk would not suit up for the game.
Another player is left tackle Trent Williams. While the news may not be as loud as the Aiyuk saga, Williams has not attended any training camp due to contract negotiations. Williams has no guaranteed money left on his contract and has been holding out of camp. This will give Purdy a chance to adjust to there being no Williams on the offensive line, but hopefully, the star offensive lineman will be back with the team soon.
Of the starters who have been at training camp, running back Christian McCaffrey is another player not to expect this weekend. McCaffrey has been dealing with a calf issue, and the team is playing it safe. The star running back will be fine for week one of the season, but the team will not want to do anything that will set him back before then.
Linebacker Fred Warner is a questionable player. He was dealing with a minor foot injury, but said he was fine. The team has been treating minor injuries seriously this offseason, which means they may not want to risk a star player like Warner in a preseason game. He has been practicing, this is just a potential precaution.
While there may be other players not playing against the Saints this weekend, these are the main starters to not expect. Hopefully, those that do play can come out healthy and amped up for the 2024 regular season.
