What San Francisco learned during the preseason

By Jeff Dickinson  |   Tuesday, September 02, 2008  |  Comments( 13 )

San Francisco 49ers
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With Friday’s last-second loss to the San Diego Chargers, the San Francisco 49ers completed the preseason an even 2-2. While their exhibition record is essentially irrelevant, how key players performed during the preseason does matter.

So what did the 49ers learn about themselves during August's four-game slate?

1. Money can’t always buy health, happiness and a starting quarterback job – The story is played out by now: Journeyman whom hardly anyone has heard of beats out ex-No. 1 overall draft pick and $49.5 million man for the starting QB position with the 49ers. Not many people thought J.T. O’Sullivan had a shot to be the starter for the 49ers over Smith and Shaun Hill before the preseason began. Smith had all the potential in the world when he came out of Utah as the top choice in the 2005 draft, while Hill started for San Francisco several times during the ’07 season and looked good. O’Sullivan had never started an NFL game over his seven-year career. Now that it’s all said and done, though, O’Sullivan is the starter and Smith will be riding the bench. Hill will either fill the third-string role or be on someone else's roster; go figure.

2. Thomas Clayton is a capable reserve behind Frank Gore and DeShaun Foster – Clayton, who spent last year on San Francisco’s practice squad, led the team in rushing this preseason with 183 yards and one touchdown. Clayton also paced the 49ers in rushing during the ’07 preseason, so fans might be left wondering why he is once again headed to the practice squad. Don’t be surprised to see Clayton back on the 49ers’ regular roster soon, however. One injury to Gore or Foster and Clayton will get the call. Also, an ineffectiveness alert: Foster only gained 50 total yards during the preseason and has been injury-prone over his career.

3. The receiving corps looks different than it did before the preseason started – Most of the names have remained the same, but the receivers San Francisco will rely on this season have been shifted. Arnaz Battle has been the No. 1 receiver for the past two years, but that honor will probably go to 36-year-old veteran Isaac Bruce -- an all-time Rams great who signed as a free agent in the offseason. More bad news for Battle is that Bryant Johnson is listed as the starter opposite Bruce. For now, Battle has fallen to No. 3, but second-year man Jason Hill and rookie Josh Morgan are pushing him for that position. Hill led the 49ers this preseason with 204 yards receiving, while Morgan was second with 182.

4. Allen Rossum has brought stability to the return game – In three preseason contests, Rossum returned eight kickoffs for 215 yards and nine punts for 118 yards and a touchdown. The 49ers didn’t have a single special teams return for a touchdown in 16 games last season, so Rossum adds an extra threat to that department. His return prowess should definitely give the 49ers better field position in ’08.

Training Camp: An entirely new kind of fantasy game!</i>">Training Camp: An entirely new kind of fantasy game!
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About Jeff Dickinson

I have been writing and editing professionally for 18 years. I spent the first three years of my career as a sportswriter for a daily newspaper in Alabama and got to cover sports and get paid for it! It was great until I got married and then it wasn't too much fun being away from my wife every...
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