49ers roster: 5 players with most to gain in preseason vs. Chargers

No. 2: 49ers Offensive Lineman Jaylon Moore

Yes, rookies should be a big theme behind San Francisco’s preseason efforts. That should be the case with all 32 teams.

Perhaps one of the budding storylines for the 49ers leading up to Week 1 has been the usage of fifth-round rookie offensive lineman Jaylon Moore, who actually got the start at left tackle against the Chiefs and probably will so again against the Chargers, as first-string tackle Trent Williams has been nicked up with a minor injury and probably won’t play.

For the most part, Moore accounted well for himself against Kansas City, although there were moments when he struggled against speed rushers and flashed reasons why he was a day-three draft pick.

Rookie offensive linemen can take a while to adjust to the speed of the pro game, and this is especially the case for Kyle Shanahan’s complex scheme. And while it’s still unclear whether or not the Bolts will play three-time Pro Bowl EDGE Joey Bosa, the anticipation of such a matchup should be an awfully good determining factor whether or not Moore is worthy of the primary swing-tackle role for the Niners this season.

San Francisco has some tough choices with its backup O-linemen this year, and Moore squarely fits into those question marks. While this reserve unit overall hasn’t been impressive, Moore at least has the opportunity to separate himself from the rest of the pack.

Let’s see if he can pull this off.