Blaine Gabbert got the start, but didn’t do much to instill confidence in him being a part of the first team, and Colin Kaepernick is coming back from an injury, and missed their opening preseason game with arm soreness.
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Kaepernick hopes to get healthy enough to play in the team’s second preseason game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday.
Kaepernick, meanwhile, did not even attempt warm-up passes, which wasn’t a surprise after he didn’t throw in practice Thursday and Friday because of tightness in his right shoulder.
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – The newfound, fast-break offense of the San Francisco 49ers was on full display in the first half of their preseason opener against the Houston Texans. He was 12/21 and threw for 97 yards in his appearance. Garrett Celek “started” over McDonald in a three-receiver grouping, but McDonald played with the Blaine Gabbert unit and caught a 43-yard touchdown when Texans ILB Bernardrick McKinney slipped and fell in pass coverage. Driskel was 4-of-12 for 20 yards in his pro debut.
“We’re running a fast tempo, but we’re running downhill like you saw today”, guard Joshua Garnett said.
Beyond that, you have to wonder if the 49ers are thinking about putting Kaepernick on ice for the entire season, the way Washington sidelined Robert Griffin III last season once he lost the starting job to Kirk Cousins.
Kelly is showing every sign of giving Kaepernick every chance to take the job, regardless of who he, or anybody else in the organization or any outside observers, says is the favorite right now. Congratulations to Frederick, who became the highest paid center in all of football with a six-year, $56.4 million contract extension that he signed over the weekend. He took one sack and left for good after throwing an incomplete pass to Braxton Miller on fourth down early in the second quarter.
Kelly has said the issue isn’t believed to be long-term; Kaepernick’s status remains day-to-day. After a devastating knee injury in 2014, and a calf injury in 2015, Cruz has been trying to get himself back to where he once was. Covington forced the fumble by Hyde that led to Houston’s first score.
“I’m just really disappointed for him because I thought he played well yesterday”, Kelly said.
This way, the 49ers can rest Kaepernick for a few more days or weeks without it affecting “the competition” and get him back 100% at some point later in the season.
49ers: RT Anthony Davis, who sat out a year ago in temporary retirement, played with the second string behind Trent Brown in his first game in more than 19 months and was beaten by Eric Lee for a sack late in the first half.
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“I don’t look at it as a leg up”, Kelly said via the San Jose Mercury News.
