Kyle Shanahan impressed by RB Jordan James in 49ers' preseason win vs. Raiders

San Francisco coach Kyle Shanahan speaks to reporters after the 49ers' preseason win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Thursday at Allegiant Stadium.

Kyle Shanahan impressed by RB Jordan James in 49ers' preseason win vs. Raiders originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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Pryce Mack went out with a AC sprain, with his shoulder.

Bray- Brayden Willis went out with a concussion.

Jalen Graham got evaluated for a concussion, but was good.

They just checked, the spotter checked him- Mm-hmm.

But he was all right.

That's it.

All right.

You had Keon White out there, didn't really see much of him in camp, but just how, how did he, think he came out today on the sack?

I, it seemed like he did pretty good.

You know, we, I didn't wanna play him too long, but you know, he's been so behind just getting a late start to camp.

I remember taking him out a series before, and he said, "Coach, I'm a little rusty.

Let me just get a little more time in."

And, he got one more drive in and got a sack and, it's a very fine line.

You wanna get guys all the work, but you don't wanna get 'em hurt, so I was pretty successful with that today.

I know you haven't watched the film yet, but is Trevor Wilson making a push to be the starting left guard?

I think he is making a push.

I mean, it's still, we still haven't decided yet.

I really wanna see how he did in the whole half of play he got today.

But we've been putting a lot into practice too, and we'll have to make that decision most likely, I don't wanna say by Monday.

I don't know if we'll say it then with our opening game, but I think we'll have a good idea by then as coaches.

What did you see of Jordan James tonight?

It was good to see him out there.

You know, he missed a ton of camp too with his injury.

And it had the same thing last year where he missed all training camp, so, he only got to play in that one game for us.

And, you know, got a couple carries for Seattle at the end of the year last year, so I was really excited to watch him tonight.

And, from what I saw out there live, I thought he ran real hard and ran real well.

Where will that third back is on the depth chart?

Is it gonna be difficult to get 10 carries?

You mentioned last year, you know, in game only really having room for two, starter touches.

Yeah, most likely.

I mean, we're not, you know, there's gotta be a big reason to do a three-man rotation.

We don't just do that to do it, so, most likely that'll be tough.

Jordan Watkins has kind of been behind a little bit as well with injuries.

What did you see from him tonight?

I thought he played well.

You know, when he got, he had a couple opportunities.

I thought he missed one earlier on the first third down on, on giving a shot on the wide and go that it looked like he never found, so that one was disappointing, but I thought he bounced back good after that.

Loved that big dig route he had, I think on the two-minute drive, I think it was.

Got us in at least down there on a scoring drive.

But from what I saw today, he had a good game.

What'd you see from his attitude this year compared to- I think he's stepped it up.

I mean, he's always had a good attitude, but it's, how much more consistent, how much more can you attack each day?

And I thought he really, you know, you see how guys come back in year two and, I was real excited with how he came back all the way back to phase one, how he handled OTAs, and he's done the same here in training camp.

Were there questions or have there been questions you've been struggling or frustrated in trying to get answers to that tonight may have, that you've been able to see or, or solve?

Yeah, what do you mean?

Just in terms of any, any part of this you've been hoping to see something to come to fruition that finally got resolved in- not totally.

I mean, I always like I mean, I hate, I always, I hate when we have to make a real tough decision, where we're kind of on the fence about something, and you're trying to make your best educated guess how the future's gonna go.

I like when guys make it real obvious, when you have a position battle, when you go to the 53, who you wanna use for the 16 on practice squad, which r- and when you look at the big picture, is almost just as important as the 53.

So, the more football we get to play, the more easy they make those decisions and, I think guys did some stuff today to make that easier for us.

A lot of younger guys playing today.

Anyone in particular that made an impression for you that are trying to earn a roster spot?

I mean, yeah, there are a few guys.

I don't like to sit and, you know, I have no problem with praising people, but people in this league get paid a lot of money to read everything we say and, evaluate decisions over these next three days based off of practice squads and depth charts and stuff, so, I gotta be pretty careful with that.

What'd you see from Jayden Dugger?

I thought it, it was good to get him out there playing all the way into the third quarter.

He's got a lot of playing time this training camp.

He's a guy who, as a rookie, has got an opportunity to be out there a bunch this year and, where he's benefited is he didn't have any setbacks with injuries, so he's got a lot of playing time, which has given him a chance to hopefully be ready going into the season.

I'm excited to watch the tape.

I thought he had some ups and downs throughout the game, and that's why I kept him in there a little bit longer, but, I thought he finished pretty strong.

What's the status of McKerron?

What was it, just a night off or is he- yeah, just a night off.

He was having some back spasms, during the week, and he's had a hell of a camp so far and, didn't wanna push him too much with what he's been going through.

Are, are any, any of your injuries stuff that's like gonna affect week one outside of, I mean, you looked at the overall roster.

Ricky's essentially the only main guy that you lost.

Yeah, I mean, you, you hope so.

I mean, those are things that, you know, we gotta evaluate sooner than later.

I mean, there's just guys that are gonna be close, guys like Mykel.

I mean, guys like Kittle who's taking a step back.

Wanna see how Bosa does in these practices and stuff.

So, there are guys who are, are healthy and doing good, but are they ready to get back and play right away?

And, that's why, you know, we have these mandatory three days off right now, but when we get back, we have those two and a half days before we get on the plane.

In those two and a half days, we'll see our practice schedule.

At least get two big ones in, maybe a possible third.

But I'm really curious to how it goes those three days before we go down there.

You've always had confidence in Eddie Pinero, but to see him go out there the way he did tonight, does that just make you more comfortable when you have to throw him out there 60 yards to do it?

Yeah, it was good.

He redeemed himself.

I've never been more mad at him than when he chose to defer to the second half.

I guess definitely my fault, I forgot to tell him that we receive in the preseason, but I thought that was understood.

He s- I asked him what the hell he was doing, and he said he wanted to kick off, and then he kicked a touchback.

So I was kind of pissed at him at the beginning, but he redeemed himself.

Turning page to week one now in Australia, what's the mindset and what are you looking forward to the most?

I mean, I'm looking forward to figuring out exactly our final team here over these next three days.

We got a lot of tough decisions.

They're not easy ones.

I wanna see how the practice squad pans out and, really what our opening day roster's gonna be.

And then I just like when the season starts.

I mean, preseason gets a little bit old.

And I like when it gets real, and it's gonna get real, real fast.

Well, you're facing the Rams down there as well, divisional rival.

What are the preparations going for that?

Same as always.

I mean, I wish we played them here for, what we usually look at as a home game, but, we'll see how it is in Australia.

So, play the Rams wherever.

You know, going there, it is what it is, but, it's gonna be a fun atmosphere, and always when we play the Rams it's a big, tough game, so looking forward to it.

Do you and John have any, John Lynch, have any communication, obviously online in a game like this where maybe you're dialing into the same play?

A little bit.

I mean, when I'm, when I'm not calling plays, then it's a little more relaxing down there.

We can, I'm a little easier to talk to, so it was good to have him down there, bounce some things off of him and him, and vice versa.

But it's not usually like that in the season.

What have you seen from Maverick Collins this past month?

It was just good to get him back.

You know, he had a real late start, which is not his fault.

You know, he had some big surgeries to get over this off-season, so he's got as late a start as anyone, and that's why I thought it was real important for him to play.

You know, he went there, I think, two drives into the third quarter, which is more than we'll probably, what we'd usually do for him.

But, he's a little bit behind, which again, wasn't his fault.

But I think today and getting these three days off to recover, having those two and a half practices before we go to Australia, I think he'll be ready by week one.

You guys good?

All right.

Thanks, guys.

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