One of the most intriguing storylines ahead of the San Francisco 49ers' Week 1 matchup with the Rams was De'Zhaun Stribling. The second-round rookie had seen his name bounce around the depth chart in a largely chaotic preseason. Numerous question marks surrounded the pass catcher, and a lot of them were answered in his limited action on Thursday.
Stribling didn't make it out of the first half before getting carted off the field with an ankle injury, but everything about the snaps he did play was telling.
In just a quarter and a half, the NFL populace was able to learn what both Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan think of their new pass catcher, and the two may have conflicting beliefs.
Kyle Shanahan told the world what he thought of his promising rookie
Kyle Shanahan is notorious for favoring experienced veterans and has been known to bury rookies on the depth chart, regardless of draft capital, until they earn a larger piece of the pie.
But not Stribling. In just 22 minutes of action, the rookie ran 14 routes, good for the most on the team during that span. Deebo Samuel, thought to be Stribling's biggest competition for snaps, played the full game and ran just 19 routes in total.
It takes a lot for Shanahan to fully trust an unproven youngster, and Stribling has apparently done just that. The 49ers are square in their championship window, and the play caller doesn't have time to catch a rookie up to speed. But it appears Stribling has done enough to warrant being on the field for every one of Purdy's dropbacks.
Brock Purdy may not view Stribling in the same light as Kyle Shanahan
If Stribling's routes highlight his coach's faith in him, then his zero targets may show his quarterback's skepticism.
Stribling was out on the field more than anybody else, but he failed to earn so much as a glance from Brock Purdy. Meanwhile, new acquisition Mike Evans had already racked up four catches by the time Stribling left the field, and Deebo had earned himself three looks. Even fourth-string Demarcus Robinson had a pass thrown his way.
Even though Shanahan may love what he has seen from the youngster, it might not yet be enough for Purdy to fully trust him with the ball. In a way, that is to be expected. It's not uncommon for rookies to endure learning curves, and head coaches often possess the cerebral ability to view longer-term than quarterbacks do.
Now, Stribling will reportedly miss at least a month of action, which is vital time needed to build a rapport with his quarterback. He possesses an explosiveness not shared by other pass catchers on the team, and Purdy will need that burst at some point this season. If Stribling's ailment lingers into the second half of the season, there may not be enough time for him to earn Purdy's trust - at least for this season.
Add us as a preferred source on Google