Kyle Shanahan Could Hold Starters out of 49ers' Preseason Games
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The preseason is something a ton of coaches and players despise.
Unless you're a player fighting for a roster spot or a rookie looking to get your feet wet, then the preseason is more likely than not a boon. It is why the Rams have always held their starters out of all their preseason games. That is something I believe Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers can start to do.
Shanahan had the most intriguing answer at his press conference on Friday regarding the preseason. One that made me instantly believe the starters see little to no action throughout the 49ers' preseason games.
"It's a huge challenge this year in terms of, you know last year we had three games they were all seven days apart, I think one was eight days apart, so it's such a smooth routine." Said Shanahan. "This year we have three games in twelve days, which is, I mean that's impossible and then after that we wait seventeen days to play in a game again, so this year it's not as much about the games at all to me because I gotta figure out how to get practice in and how to get people through a game."
Shanahan clearly took issue with how the 49ers' preseason schedule is setup, which he is valid on all accounts. The 49ers' priority is to take care of themselves. Playing in three preseason games in less than a two week time frame would put them at risk. It is an immense strain on their bodies and mental energy. And with the way Shanahan went on about it all, I got the sense that he isn't thinking of playing any starters during these games.
"When you play three games in twelve days, the only way to do that is not practice at all and that's definitely not an option. I think the practices, always I've said this my whole career, are much more important to me than preseason games, so it's going to be tough this year just cause of how the schedule pans out."
If he does, it will probably only be some starters who need it like Trey Lance along with the offensive line so he isn't exposed and for only a short time. Sean McVay started the trend of holding out starters from preseason games and now it is looking like the standard that more coaches will follow. There just isn't a point to play starters in a meaningless game to them. I think Shanahan is going to start following McVay's methods.
The Packers game could be where Lance plays a series or two, then gets yanked and doesn't play in the second game against the Vikings. Lance and the starters don't need to since they're having joint-practices with the Vikings anyways, so starters could see zero action in that game, then a series or two in the finale against Houston. However way the 49ers handle it, the starters will see their least amount of action in the preseason since Shanahan took over as head coach.
"It's just a whirlwind of games, then all of a sudden it's now chill for seventeen days, so I gotta really just balance that out. And with the help of our medical staff and all the position coaches, it's something we'll figure out as we go."
