49ers roster: 5 players who should be in Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse
By Peter Panacy
No. 4: 49ers Offensive Lineman Dakoda Shepley
It might not be too fair to put a player on the fringes of the preseason roster into Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse.
But former CFL offensive lineman Dakoda Shepley had a real chance to secure a spot on the regular-season 53-man roster as the 49ers’ primary backup center to the starter, Alex Mack.
Shepley, who was added to the Niners roster a year ago and retained through the offseason, has primarily been competing with fellow center Jake Brendel for this job. And while Brendel hasn’t exactly been over-the-top exemplary, he probably has the upper hand over Shepley, who wasn’t giving Shanahan the best looks during San Francisco’s second preseason game of the year against the Los Angeles Chargers.
There have been a lot of snapping issues with Dakoda Shepley during training camp and we might be able to add that fumble to the list. Always tough to gauge who’s at fault — oftentimes it’s both center and QB
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) August 23, 2021
Shepley and third-string quarterback Nate Sudfeld fumbled one snap, which led to a 49ers turnover and the Chargers getting the ball back.
On top of that, Shepley was also flagged for two false-start penalties, which puts him in a similar category as MyCole Pruitt — a fringe player who isn’t doing himself any favors towards making the 53-man roster.