The San Francisco 49ers played the Tennessee Titans in the preseason opener and lost 19-13. It definitely wasn't the prettiest game, but the main goal is to evaluate talent, and the 49ers were able to do that.
Most of the starters got to sit out, so we were able to see how the depth players and young guys look. We know the 49ers frequently get bitten by the injury bug, so depth is very important here.
In the final two preseason games, we'll likely see most of the starters play to some extent. However, let's look back at the opener and give each position group a grade for its performance.
Quarterback: C+
Kurtis Rourke would have received an A for his individual performance. The quarterback completed 12 of his 14 pass attempts for 101 yards before leaving the game with a rib injury.
Adrian Martinez got off to a very slow start, but he got better as the game went on. Martinez completed 16 of 30 passes for 159 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. It was an unspectacular performance, and it was disappointing that neither quarterback found the end zone.
Assuming Rourke gets healthy, though, the 49ers might have to find a way to keep him around.
Running Back: F
The running backs were the most disappointing group on the team against the Titans. The team had a combined 28 rushes for just 84 yards, which is a disappointing average of 3.0 yards.
Sincere McCormick led the way with just 38 yards, while Zamir White and Patrick Taylor Jr. combined for -4 yards on seven carries. The 49ers better hope Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, and Jordan James get and stay healthy.
Wide Receiver: B
The good news here is that rookie De'Zhaun Stribling was the leading receiver. Stribling caught seven passes for 63 yards and showed off that speed and size everybody has been talking about.
Jordan Watkins also proved he deserves a roster spot, catching six passes for 59 yards. There wasn't much to speak about behind those two, though, which keeps this grade from being higher.
Tight End: F
The 49ers might as well have not even used tight ends in this game. The only contributions came from Josiah Deguara, who caught two passes for 12 yards. Brayden Willis was targeted twice, but was unable to come down with either.
George Kittle needs to get healthy ASAP.
Offensive Line: D
The offensive line is another group that was disappointing. Robert Jones, who was listed as the starting left guard on the depth chart, was horrible in this game. In fact, most of the backup offensive linemen were pretty bad.
The only positives were Connor Colby had a decent showing, and the unit only allowed two sacks. The run blocking was absolutely atrocious, and the unit does not appear to be very deep at all.
Defensive Line: C+
The defensive line, for the most part, was solid. Ogbo Okoronkwo and James Thompson Jr. collected sacks, and Sebastian Valdez and Gracen Halton both had at least four tackles.
Halton, in particular, was a bright spot, and it looks like he could be a real contributor. Alfred Collins continues to disappoint, though, and the unit let a few big runs get through.
Linebacker: A
These linebackers were one of the biggest bright spots. Tatum Bethune was all over the field, ending with six tackles and one sack. Nick Martin wasn't great in coverage, but he still collected eight tackles.
UDFA Larry Worth III had three tackles and 0.5 sacks. Jaden Dugger only had two tackles, but he was flying around the field and looks like he can be a versatile piece. This unit should be among the best on the team when the season starts as well.
Secondary: A
The Titans played their starters, so it wouldn't have been surprising to see the Titans' first-team offense light up these backup defensive backs. That's not what happened though, as the 49ers held up well all night.
The Titans only managed 112 passing yards while completing less than half of their pass attempts. Ephesians Prysock, in particular, was impressive with a nice pass breakup that prevented a touchdown.
