The San Francisco 49ers kicked off their preseason with a 19-13 loss to the Tennessee Titans, but of course, the preseason isn’t about wins and losses. It’s about teams evaluating their rosters to determine who will make the regular season depth chart.
That evaluation is in full swing for San Francisco, and it’s not going so well for some guys. The 49ers didn’t play their starters, so they got an extended look at a lot of guys who are fighting for spots on the roster.
Unfortunately, that battle got a lot tougher for a few guys after Thursday’s game.
Here are three players whose time in San Francisco could be nearing an end.
Adrian Martinez is losing 49ers' QB3 battle
The 49ers are set with their top two quarterbacks, Brock Purdy and Mac Jones, but there’s a competition to see who will be the team’s QB3. That battle is between Kurtis Rourke and Adrian Martinez, and Rourke got the start on Thursday and had the better day.
Martinez completed 16-of-30 passes for 159 yards and added 18 rushing yards, while Rourke was an efficient 12-of-14 for 101 yards, with 14 yards on the ground. With Rourke already ahead on the depth chart and playing better, he will likely secure the third quarterback spot over Martinez, if health is on his side.
Connor Colby continues his tumble down 49ers depth chart
Connor Colby, now in his second season after being selected in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, entered training camp with a chance to emerge as a starting guard for San Francisco. Unfortunately, an underwhelming camp has resulted in him moving down the depth chart.
Colby continued to underwhelm on Thursday, struggling to block during the game. It’s now fair to wonder if he has gone from potential starter to a player waived during final roster cuts.
Nick Martin could be odd man out in 49ers linebacker room
The linebacker room is a strength for San Francisco, led by Fred Warner. With Dre Greenlaw returning to the franchise this offseason, there’s no question about the 49ers’ starting inside linebacker duo.
There are questions about the depth behind them, though, and Nick Martin is a part of those questions.
Martin is competing with guys like Tatum Bethune and Jaden Dugger to prove his value as a depth linebacker, and Bethune and Dugger appear to have the edge on him right now. To avoid being the odd man out, Martin will need to put on better performances moving forward.
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