The 49ers have their final dress rehearsal of the preseason Saturday in Kansas City. Most starters will sit the final game at home against the Chargers, so this will be the last look at the 49ers prior to their regular-season opener Sept. 8 in Tampa Bay.
Here are six things to keep a close eye on Saturday night at Arrowhead Stadium:
Starting QB play
Jimmy Garoppolo’s debut didn’t go according to plan. He completed one of his six throws for zero yards and an interception. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said Garoppolo will play at least one half Saturday night, and how Garoppolo looks in those snaps will set a tone for how the 49ers start this very important 2019 season.
Backup QB play
The 49ers still have a wide open backup quarterback battle after Nick Mullens and CJ Beathard failed to distinguish themselves from one another through the first two games. Typically the backup QB spot doesn’t matter much, but Garoppolo coming off an ACL tear, combined with his performance in Week 2 of the preseason, means multiple doors are open for the 49ers’ backup signal caller to get in a game this year.
Big test for secondary
Kansas City’s offense is dynamite. They’re spearheaded by budding superstar quarterback Patrick Mahomes, and he’s surrounded by a slew of dynamic weapons like tight end Travis Kelce and wide receivers Tyreke Hill and Mecole Hardman. San Francisco’s defensive backs got torched in this matchup last year. Winning a handful of plays in preseason this year would be a significant improvement.
Kwon Alexander’s debut
The 49ers’ prize free agent linebacker recovered quickly from a torn ACL and will be in the lineup for the third preseason game. There was some uncertainty that he’d even be ready for the regular season when he signed, but his return in preseason indicates he’ll go Week 1 in Tampa Bay barring any setbacks. He’s due to add an element of speed and aggressiveness the 49ers’ linebacking corps was missing last season. Alexander doesn’t need to be super productive in Kansas City, but it’ll be beneficial for him to get a handful of snaps in prior to the regular season.
Mitch Wishnowsky’s kick coverage
Wishnowsky flying down the field and doing this again is of the utmost importance.
Return of some offensive line depth
At least one key contributor of the 49ers’ offensive front returned to practice in the week leading up to the third preseason game. Mike Person strained his foot in a joint practice with the Broncos and missed a couple days, including the game in Denver. Also returning is backup guard Joshua Garnett. He’s missed several weeks with a surgically repaired dislocated finger. Garnett has to put together some good snaps to secure a roster spot, but the depth on that offensive front has not been a bright spot in the preseason.
