49ers preseason grades vs. Titans: Jordan Mason shines, run defense flops

There might not be a thing that matters less than whether a team wins or loses a preseason game. That is doubly true when the team is like the San Francisco 49ers, who played no more than a handful of starters to kick off their 2024 preseason campaign. Extrapolating trends or performances from backups who will rarely see the field is a surefire way to misinterpret how good a football team is.

That said, the preseason is not a completely meaningless experience. Players still play, stats still accumulate, and teams win or lose. For the many players fighting to make the Niners' regular-season roster, the preseason games are a chance to hit players on the other team and make a name for themselves.

Against the Tennesse Titans, the 49ers sat almost all of their starters, letting only their starting safeties and offensive line get action. They even sat their normal play-caller, as head coach Kyle Shanahan ceded offensive play-calling duties to an assistant, Klay Kubiak.

And, as to be expected, things were remarkably sloppy, with penalties, missed tackles, drops, and poor angles.

San Francisco made a late push to win the game, but early touchdowns from the Tennesse Titans resulted in a 17-13 loss to the home team.

There were lots of good and bad from the 49ers, but in all phases of the game, certain players flashed and pulled away from the competition, while others struggled.

Overall position grades do not seem to matter much here, so instead, we'll take a look at how some key position battles graded out from the first preseason game.