San Francisco 49ers: 3 Players to watch vs. Cowboys in Preseason Week 1
The San Francisco 49ers won’t have Nick Bosa when they open the preseason against the Cowboys but which players should fans be watching for?
Expectations are certainly high for the San Francisco 49ers as they start their 2019 NFL preseason on Saturday night. Welcoming the Dallas Cowboys to Levi’s Stadium, the Niners are hoping that having the second worst record in the league last season was the storm before the calm and that they’re able to compete for an NFC playoff spot this season.
That hope is no doubt rooted in the return of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who tore his ACL in Week 3 last season. Furthermore, the 49ers have made big defensive additions this offseason with signing Kwon Alexander, trading for Dee Ford and selecting Nick Bosa with the second pick in the draft. Bosa, unfortunately, will be out for the preseason opener after suffering a high ankle sprain.
Even with Bosa out, though, this is a team fans should be on the lookout for. There is a ton of variance for how 2019 could play out for Kyle Shanahan’s team but it’ll be interesting to see what their first preseason tilt tells us about the depth and quality of this roster.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at three San Francisco 49ers players fans should watch on Saturday night against the Cowboys.
3. Kentavius Street, DL
The Nick Bosa injury certainly puts a damper on the San Francisco 49ers preseason debut. Moreover, we aren’t going to see much (or any) of Dee Ford, Arik Armstead and DeForest Buckner in this game — and perhaps Solomon Thomas, too. However, that opens the door for a player like second-year defensive lineman Kentavius Street to try and make an impact.
A fourth-round pick by the Niners last season, Street offers tremendous versatility up front with the ability to move to the edge or slot inside on the line. Given the lack of depth that we’ll see for a preseason game, that likely means he’s about to see a ton of snaps against the Cowboys. If the NC State product can make an impact and continue to show effective versatility, he could make himself a valuable commodity in the eyes of 49ers coaches.
2. Trent Taylor, WR
Some fans may say that we should be watching rookies Deebo Samuel or Jalen Hurd. Others might have guys like Richie James or Kendrick Bourne circled as the wide receivers to watch. That’s because those guys are likely going to be fighting for snaps and/or roster spots. Trent Taylor will be doing no such thing but he’s a guy that fans should be exciting to watch.
Despite the flashes that Dante Pettis showed last season, it’s been Taylor — returning from injuries that derailed his 2018 campaign — that has been drawing rave reviews all offseason. By all accounts, Taylor has been dominant in practice and workouts. Now it’s about putting that product on the field and he should get a good test against a talented Dallas secondary.
1. Ahkello Witherspoon, CB
At this point, it’s hard to imagine Richard Sherman seeing many reps in the preseason. Meanwhile, Jason Verrett is (surprise!) out with an injury. That opens the door in a big way for Ahkello Witherspoon to start making a name for himself as he comes into his third year in the league.
When the 49ers took Witherspoon in the third round, the talent and physical tools of the Colorado product were evident. To this point, though, he hasn’t put it all together due to poor play and being banged up on occasion. Thus, year three is critical for him to assert himself as a long-term option at corner in San Francisco.
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To this point, Witherspoon has been one of the defensive standouts in training camp, showing signs of making a leap. If that’s the case, he needs to put it into practice against the Cowboys on Saturday night. If he can, he could not only carve out a starting role over Sherman or Verrett but could also cement his future in the Bay Area.