The San Francisco 49ers are getting closer to regular-season mode, and offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak said Sunday that having Christian McCaffrey and George Kittle back on the field has already changed the feel around the offense.
"It just gives us energy," Kubiak said. "You've got two Hall of Fame-caliber players out there who are back out there and getting their work in."
McCaffrey and Kittle participated in portions of the team's work Sunday, providing a noticeable boost as the 49ers continue preparing for the regular season and trimming the roster toward 53 players. Kubiak said the roster decisions are a collaborative effort between the coaching staff and position coaches.
"Nothing's decided in a vacuum," he said. "I have my opinions about everything."
Kittle's availability will impact the offense
Kubiak acknowledged that the 49ers have certain concepts and plays specifically designed to take advantage of what Kittle can do, but the offense has also shown it can adjust if the veteran tight end isn't available. Jake Tonges' development last season gave the coaching staff confidence that they can still operate much of the offense without Kittle.
"George is unique. George is one of a kind," Kubiak said. "There's only so many players who can do what he can do."
The 49ers will continue evaluating Kittle's availability before settling on exactly how much of that portion of the playbook will be used in week one.
Left guard remains wide open
There is still no clear winner in the competition at left guard. Kubiak said Connor Colby, rookie Carver Willis, and Austen Pleasants have all been involved in the competition, with the group continuing to rotate.
"It's still a competition," Kubiak said. "Someone's going to come out of that thing starting week one."
Pleasants has also seen time elsewhere along the offensive line. Kubiak said his athleticism, intelligence and understanding of the offense made him a natural candidate to move inside. Unfortunately, Pleasants suffered an injury, and Kubiak didn't have a timetable for his return.
As for Willis, who has spent some time working with the first team, Kubiak has seen noticeable progress.
"I like where he's at. I like the way he's working," Kubiak said. "He's developing. He's a young player, and we just got to keep pushing him."
Kaelon Black makes an impression
Kubiak was particularly complimentary of rookie running back Kaelon Black after his first NFL game. What stood out most was the way Black ran.
"He really brought kind of a spark to our offense," Kubiak said.
Kubiak believes Black has the physical ability to create yards even when a play isn't blocked perfectly. He also praised Black's speed and ability to produce explosive runs.
But the rookie's performance in pass protection may have been just as impressive.
"He was on it from the second snap of the game," Kubiak said after Black correctly handled an early blitz. "He was stout."
Kubiak credited Black's preparation and coachability, saying the rookie is already showing that he's comfortable in the offense.
"He's in his playbook. He's very coachable," Kubiak said.
Jordan James finally gets his opportunity
Rookie running back Jordan James is also back on the practice field, and Kubiak expects him to get plenty of opportunities in the upcoming preseason game against the Raiders. James has impressed the coaching staff since arriving in San Francisco, but injuries have limited his time on the field.
Kubiak said James looks to be in excellent shape and has responded well to seeing other young backs, particularly Black, take advantage of their opportunities.
"He's stepped up. He's had two really good practices, in my opinion," Kubiak said.
James is also getting more work in the passing game. Kubiak said the 49ers have been giving him reps on choice routes, option routes and other concepts backs are expected to handle from the backfield. The coaches want James to become comfortable with the timing and communication required in the passing game.
The running back rotation doesn't necessarily need to be settled before week one, either. Kubiak said the 49ers could enter a game with an established order behind McCaffrey while still rotating multiple backs throughout the contest.
"If you can get multiple backs touches in a game, that's a sign that you're running the ball well," he said.
Kubiak likes what he's seeing from the interior linemen
Kubiak also praised Jake Brendel, Drake Nugent, and Doug Kramer for their work during Thursday night's game, while specifically pointing to Nugent's development throughout camp. The competition and depth along the offensive line could prove important with injuries already affecting the group.
Kubiak said the players competing for jobs have continued to show physicality, pass-protection ability and effort.
"They played really hard, played really physical," Kubiak said.
More info on: Kaelon Black, Jake Brendel, Connor Colby, Jordan James, George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, Drake Nugent, Austen Pleasants, Jake Tonges, Carver Willis
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