The San Francisco 49ers closed out their 2016 preseason schedule with a comeback win over the San Diego Chargers. Most starters did not play significant
Winners
Marcus Rush: Wow, what a preseason. He capped it off in emphatic fashion, grabbing 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception in the preseason finale. He was not facing first string offensive players, but he executed in the situation presented. I don’t see how the 49ers can keep him off the roster, but we’ll wait and see what Saturday brings.
Christian Ponder: He has been playing primarily in the fourth quarter, but he executed for the second time in three games. He completed 8-of-14 passes for 101 yards, but also scrambled for two touchdowns. Again, it was in the fourth quarter of preseason games, but props to him for execution.
Kelvin Taylor: It was odd as Taylor did not get a snap last week. But this week, he bounced back in a big way, rushing for 56 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. I thought maybe the 49ers were hoping to slip him through waivers to the practice squad, but he made a statement on Thursday.
Colin Kaepernick: He was not spectacular, but Kaepernick showed significant improvement from his first preseason game. Blaine Gabbert is going to be the starter, but for the time being, Kaepernick would seem to have secured his roster spot. But even beyond that, I really think his post-game press conference is going to be remembered for a while.
Losers
Michael Wilhoite: After two straight years as a starting inside linebacker, Wilhoite was playing significant snaps in the fourth quarter of the fourth preseason game. Ray-Ray Armstong and Gerald Hodges both did not play on Thursday. Could Wilhoite be on the outs? This does not exactly bode well for him.
Jeff Driskel: If Driskel was going to somehow unseat Colin Kaepernick as Blaine Gabbert’s backup, this performance ended even the faintest hint of a dream. He threw interceptions on his first two pass attempts, and finished 1-of-4 for 3 yards, with 16 rushing yards. He seems more and more likely bound for the practice squad.
Corey Lemonier: He has been relatively quiet in the preseason, and Marcus Rush quickly supplanted him in the eyes of most fans. This is a clear example where one guy could prove to be the winner and the other could prove to be the loser.