The 49ers on Thursday begin their all-important joint practices with the Las Vegas Raiders before facing them in the preseason opener Sunday afternoon.
While more eyeballs will be on the preseason bout, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan will be locked in on the two joint practices. In those sessions Shanahan believes coaches can get a better evaluation of players because they’re in a controlled environment.
For some players this will be more of a tune up. The starters won’t play in the exhibition contest according to Shanahan, so the two practices will serve as a chance to compete against another team and some different players than the ones they’ve seen the last two weeks.
For other players the two practices could dramatically impact their chances to make the club or carve out a bigger role than they might’ve been on track for.
Here’s a look at the 49ers who most need to play well in their joint practices with Las Vegas:
Javon Kinlaw
Everything has gone right so far for Kinlaw this offseason. He stayed healthy, he’s in shape, and he’s performing well in training camp with and without pads on. Now the real test begins when he faces an offensive line that isn’t the same one he faces every day. If Kinlaw has a standout performance in the joint sessions, he might wind up getting to sit out Sunday’s preseason debut. If he struggles, the spotlight will be on him for the rest of the exhibition slate.
Backup quarterbacks
Trey Lance and Sam Darnold both need to shine against a new defense. Neither player will get to rest for the preseason opener, but their first chances to really separate themselves in the backup battle will come in the joint practices where Shanahan will be keeping a watchful eye. If one of Darnold or Lance has a rough go in joint practices it might be tough to recover without lighting it up in the preseason games.
Marcelino McCrary-Ball
There’s an argument to be made for every LB needing a good joint session, but McCrary-Ball really stands out. He’s a second-year undrafted player who spent all of last season on the practice squad. He’s been good in camp, but he’s battling for roster spots with a veteran in Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, and two rookie draft picks Jalen Graham and Dee Winters. There’s an opportunity in these two practices to really make his mark and force the club to keep him around, potentially as a starting Sam LB.
Ambry Thomas
The cornerback who’s gotten the most praise in camp is undrafted rookie D’Shawn Jamison. This is an opportunity for Thomas to earn some of that shine. He showed the skill set as a rookie to be an NFL cornerback. Last year was rough while he was buried on the depth chart even after an injury at the position. If he’s going to bounce back in 2023, it has to start Thursday in Las Vegas.
Danny Gray
Gray appears to be doing the right things in training camp to carve out a roster spot after a disappointing rookie season. Opportunities against the Raiders could ultimately cement his place on the roster or throw his spot into question. Gray is all about cementing a role on offense. Lining up correctly, blocking and affecting the passing game on more than just deep routes will all be things he has to do in the joint sessions. Keep an eye on whether Gray plays in the preseason opener, because that’ll be a tell on just how much confidence the coaching staff has in him after the two practices.
Rookie TEs
Perhaps one rookie tight end makes the 49ers roster between Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis. Maybe both make the cut. It could wind up being neither player. If they are going to make an impact though these two days are their chance to shine. In a controlled environment against an opposing defense they’ll have a chance to show the things that are going to really give them opportunities to play in San Francisco. They’ll need to line up properly and block their tails off. If they can dominate in that facet the passing game will then come into play. It all starts with knowing the offense and blocking though, and the two practices in Vegas will be two prime opportunities to show growth in those areas.
