SANTA CLARA — Brock Purdy, Trent Williams, Deebo Samuel, Fred Warner and the 49ers’ other healthy front-line players saw plenty of work Tuesday in a joint practice with the Tennessee Titans.And that is good enough for coach Kyle Shanahan.
“There won’t be many starters playing,” Shanahan said of the 49ers’ 2026 NFL preseason opener Thursday night against the Titans at Levi’s Stadium.
Those top players will be spectators, as the spotlight shifts to the team’s unproven players and the veterans who are fighting for spots on the regular-season roster.
Here are five notable players to watch as each puts on a 49ers uniform for the first time:QB Kurtis RourkeA seventh-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, quarterback Kurtis Rourke did not suit up for the 49ers last year as he recovered from surgery to repair a torn ACL. Rourke toughed out his final season at Indiana with the knee condition.
He has been learning the 49ers’ system for more than a year. He is regularly seen after practice, going to a quiet corner of Levi’s Stadium to continue to study and watch film after practice.