49ers vs. Saints: 5 preseason Week 2 storylines fans won't want to miss

The 49ers host the Saints in Week 2 preseason action, and these storylines should dominate the discussion leading up to Sunday.

Preseason football is usually fun and entertaining for about the first 30 minutes. After that, most fans simply can't wait for the games to actually count, and it seems like forever between the start of the exhibition phase and the regular season.

Nevertheless, the die-hards understand just how important preseason games are, especially for those players on the fringes of a roster.

The San Francisco 49ers have no shortage of storylines to watch heading into their preseason Week 2 bout against the visiting New Orleans Saints. The Niners lost their exhibition opener last weekend to the Tennessee Titans, and that game revealed some notable truths.

Injuries are a problem already. The run defense, particularly for the back end of the depth chart, is questionable. Tackling is a bit of an issue.

Hopefully, another week of practice will help answer such questions. And, aside from seemingly endless contractual drama surrounding stars like wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams, San Francisco will still feature some storylines worth monitoring this Sunday when it hosts New Orleans at Levi's Stadium.

Especially these five.

No. 1: Can Dominick Puni solidify starting right guard job?

About the only starting position up for grabs right now is right guard where rookie Dominick Puni started last Saturday and impressed well enough to be atop the conversation for the first-team unit.

With fellow veteran linemen such as Jon Feliciano and Spencer Burford both nursing injuries, Puni appears to be the shoo-in starter when the regular season begins.

Assuming Puni suffers no kind of in-game regression that'd suggest a bump down the depth chart, one might expect him to pick up this Sunday where he left off last weekend.

No. 2: Brandon Allen vs. Joshua Dobbs for QB2

Brandon Allen was the starting quarterback at Tennessee, playing the entire first half. And while his stat line of 7-of-13 for 98 yards doesn't exactly pop, Allen's efforts extended far beyond what showed up on paper.

Dobbs, meanwhile, flashed some promising moments, too, including a 6-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

While the initial impression is that Allen is in the lead for the No. 2 job behind Brock Purdy, it's probably safer to assume the backup quarterback job remains wide open with preseason Week 2 serving as the next head-to-head challenge for both signal-callers.

No. 3: Will Tanner Mordecai see field time?

Speaking of quarterbacks, undrafted rookie Tanner Mordecai didn't take the field last week but likely will when the Saints come to town.

The former Wisconsin Badger probably would have been drafted if he declared in 2023 instead of this year, and some collegiate offensive mismatches last season didn't do him many favors.

However, a full immersion into a quarterback-friendly offense could lead to Mordecai turning into a nice preseason storyline, too, not unlike Purdy's rookie year when he managed to push then-49ers backup QB Nate Sudfeld off the regular-season roster.

No. 4: Can 49ers fix special teams woes?

Another year, another massive concern with special teams. This time, kickoff-return coverage appears to be the culprit.

Granted, the league's new kickoff rules are unusual and new. But 31 other teams are dealing with the same challenge, and even that shouldn't excuse the fact the Niners surrendered 81 kickoff return yards to Titans return specialist Kearis Jackson on two attempts, including a massive 63-yard return.

San Francisco likely addressed this head on during the week leading up to practice.

But, if New Orleans has similar success in the return game, special teams panic will start to boil over.

No. 5: Will 49ers' run defense, tackling improve?

According to Pro Football Focus, the 49ers' run-defense grade from last week was a lowly 54.9, reflecting many of the defensive issues they had for much of 2023.

Part of the reason was the slew of missed tackles, and PFF credited the Niners with a whopping 13 whiffs.

Making things worse, defensive lineman Kalia Davis suffered an injury in the game and will be out for a while after a solid run-stopping effort in Nashville.

There is some hope, however, as San Francisco doesn't engage in live tackling during practices, so one might expect a little bit of the proverbial "rust" early in the preseason. With better tackling, the run defense should also improve.

It's yet to be seen, though, but will be when the 49ers and Saints kick off on Sunday, Aug. 18 at 8 p.m. ET.

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