49ers vs. Titans preseason Week 1: 5 storylines fans must monitor

The 49ers kick off their 2024 preseason against the Titans this Saturday, and these five storylines are of notable importance.

After months of waiting, the San Francisco 49ers return to the gridiron in 2024 to take on the Tennessee Titans for what'll be the first of three preseason bouts before the regular-season opener against the New York Jets this September.

Final scores don't exactly matter, so head coach Kyle Shanahan isn't necessarily going to try pulling off a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter by exploring the deeper parts of his playbook. Nor is he going to field the bulk of his starters for large chunks of the game.

In fact, a number of Shanahan's best players, including All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, aren't going to be available. The same will probably go for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, too, as he awaits an uncertain future amid a contract dispute and trade speculation.

So, while the game won't have the intensity or meaning of a regular-season contest, it'll still play a vital role in helping Shanahan determine his eventual 53-man roster.

And these five storylines will be ones to pay the closest attention to when the Niners take the field in Nashville.

No. 1: How 49ers' crop of rookies perform

It's always fun to watch rookies in their first action against another opponent, and San Francisco has no shortage of individual storylines to watch regarding first-year pros.

Amid the Aiyuk drama, wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing could see an uptick in field time. Pearsall, who's dealing with a shoulder injury, might be limited or unavailable for the contest. But he's widely seen as a potential heir apparent for Aiyuk, and his regular-season role will be vital if the 49ers ultimately trade their leading pass catcher from the last two years.

Likewise, cornerback Renardo Green has been making strides in training camp. He might not be ticketed for a starting job in 2024, but his long-term development will be something to monitor.

No. 2: 49ers' patchwork offensive line

All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams, too, is expected to be absent amid his own contractual holdout, while interior linemen like Jon Feliciano and Spencer Burford are dealing with injuries.

That opens the door for depth players like Jaylon Moore, Chris Hubbard, Brandon Parker and others to either solidify or lose a roster spot, while two first-year players, Dominick Puni and Jarrett Kingston, are expected to get plenty of field time.

Puni, in particular, could be a legitimate threat to win the starting right guard spot, so his performance on Saturday will be of note.

No. 3: Who steps up in Brandon Aiyuk's stead?

Revisiting the Aiyuk saga, there are plenty of other wide receivers who are potentially impacted by his pending absence beyond just Pearsall and Cowing.

Veterans like Trent Taylor and Chris Conley are fighting for a roster spot, while younger pros such as Danny Gray and Ronnie Bell could either prove themselves worthy of hanging around or may underachieve and find themselves destined for being waived in advance of the regular season.

While Aiyuk wouldn't be expected to play if he was fully available anyway, the Niners have to explore contingency plans in case they decide to trade him, which would include a decision on who would occupy his spot on the 53-man roster.

It's a golden opportunity.

No. 4: Cast of 49ers reserve running backs

McCaffrey is the only surefire thing San Francisco has at the position. With him out, along with backup rushers like Elijah Mitchell (hamstring) and rookie Isaac Guerendo (hamstring), too, Shanahan is forced to rely on the deeper parts of the depth chart for efforts on the ground.

It's still a deep pool despite the aforementioned injuries, and the competition will come down to seldom-discussed players like undrafted rookie Cody Schrader, Jordan Mason, Patrick Taylor Jr. and two recently signed additions, Matt Breida and Ke'Shawn Vaughn.

These five are likely competing for just one available spot on the 53-man roster, assuming neither Mitchell nor Guerendo wind up on an injury list to open up the regular season.

No. 5: Backup quarterback drama

It'd be odd to see quarterback Brock Purdy take the field on Saturday. Even if he did, one shouldn't expect more than a single drive from the starter.

Yet the situation behind him is fluid.

Joshua Dobbs and Brandon Allen are the front-runners for the QB2 role behind Purdy. According to Sports Illustrated's Grant Cohn, Allen is winning the battle, largely because of his existing familiarity with Shanahan's offense. Yet that doesn't eliminate the possibility of Dobbs surging back in the competition.

Additionally, fans may be eager to see undrafted rookie Tanner Mordecai out of Wisconsin, who is a dark horse to seize the third-string role over whoever loses the battle to be Purdy's immediate backup.

The 49ers and Titans kick off on Saturday, Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. ET from Nissan Stadium.

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