Defensive notes and players to watch
I would say most fans, including myself, are pleased with how the new defensive scheme has looked in the first two games. The defense is definitely more aggressive and we have playmakers at every single level. There have been mistakes, but the overall mentality and the scheme itself seem to mesh more effectively than they did the last several seasons.
Assuming we get to see the 49ers’ offensive starters for a decent chunk of the game, this should be a solid warm up to the regular season. The 49ers won’t likely be a top 10 offense, but they could be top 15. They should be able to both pass and run the ball with good consistency, testing all levels of the Chiefs’ defense.
Like the offense, this game will go a long way in determining where a handful of defenders fit this season. The first player is Darron Lee, who has led the linebacker group in snaps the first two games with 84. He has speed to penetrate gaps early in the running game, which we saw on a big time play in Saturday’s game where he prevented a score. Add to that his great coverage ability, and he’s a player you want to see on the field.
However, the question still remains what impact Lee will have in 2019. His best fit seems to be at the weakside linebacker spot, where his speed could be utilized most effectively. Yet, this spot seems all but locked up by Anthony Hitchens. How many snaps he plays in the first half, and where those snaps are, should show fans what coaches expect his contribution to be in 2019.
The second player is Armani Watts. The fourth-round draft pick from Brett Veach’s first official class showed some flashes last season before getting hurt. Signing Tyrann Mathieu, re-signing Jordan Lucas, drafting Juan Thornhill, and the constantancy of Dan Sorensen on this team made Watts’ place on the defense questionable to start the season.
Yet, Watts has quietly had himself a productive preseason. Whenever he is in the game, it seems he’s around the action more often than not and has made several plays in the run game or on the ball in the passing game. The coaches seem to be giving him every opportunity to show his worth, as he has led all safeties in snaps over the last two contests.
There’s no question he’s a backup, but whether or not he gets significant time is another question. If he plays a lot on Saturday, I expect the coaches see a defined role for him on defense and vice versa.
The third player to watch is Dorian O’Daniel. O’Daniel became a fan favorite last year largely because the rare times he saw the field he seemed to make plays. Yet, the coaching staff obviously didn’t trust him enough to give him a defined role even with local pundits and fans clamoring for more playing time for the hybrid linebacker.
Coming into this season, the expectation from fans was that O’Daniel would take a big step forward in a scheme more suited to his size and even push for a starting position by the end of the season. None of that has become a reality. O’Daniel has barely played in the preseason, only logging 32 total snaps in two games. The snaps he’s been given have not been memorable. I’m not sure I remember him making a single play in either game.
What’s more, there hasn’t been a whisper about O’Daniel out of camp other than some early reports that he was struggling to learn the playbook. At this point, it might be do or die for O’Daniel. The next two preseason games could see him barely making the 53-man roster or looking for a job. If he doesn’t get any snaps in the first three quarters on Saturday, I’d guess that doesn’t bode well for his spot on the team.
Other Players of Note:
- Herb Miller or D’Montre Wade – Which cornerback makes the team?
- Xavier Williams – 11 snaps in two games, does he have a place on this team?