49ers vs. Broncos: 5 predictions for San Francisco in preseason bout
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: Wide Receiver Jordan Matthews Plays at Least Three Quarters
Jimmy Garoppolo had some difficulty late during Friday’s practice after starting 9-of-12. And according to Chris Biderman’s report, one of the players Garoppolo struggled to get involved was wide receiver Jordan Matthews.
Matthews was a star practice standout during the 49ers’ OTA sessions earlier this spring. But his prowess on the field has waned quite a bit in training camp, all but relegating him back to the roster bubble after starting offseason workouts there in the first place.
His primary competition, Kendrick Bourne, has been looking solid enough to stick around on the 53-man roster. And while there’s no guarantee, one thing to monitor during the game will be which receiver — between Bourne and Matthews — sees the majority of the snaps in Denver.
For this prediction, it’s Matthews.
The reason is pretty simple. The veteran wideout needs to showcase all the reasons why he should be named to the 53-man roster in 2019.
Matthews caught just one pass for 12 yards versus Dallas. He’ll need to have much greater an impact against the Broncos, and Kyle Shanahan should try to give him every opportunity to do so.