Five 49ers to watch as team looks to remain undefeated in Week 4 vs. Jaguars

The 49ers’ 2025 NFL season took a dramatic turn in Week 3, when star defensive end Nick Bosa was lost for the year with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.But all is not lost.The 49ers head into Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 3-0 record, including an all-important 2-0 mark within the NFC West. With road games upcoming against the Los Angeles Rams and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 49ers know they have to take care of business at Levi’s Stadium in Week 4.“You can’t lose these types of games, and I know we’re going against a very good team,” coach Kyle Shanahan said this week on “49ers Game Plan.” “I know there are some situations that we need to overcome, but I’ve felt the same way these last three weeks. They can go either way, and we’re sitting here at 3-0, but just a few misplays, a few little different things, and we could be 0-3. And I know this game’s going to be the exact same.”Brock Purdy appears to be tracking toward a return to the lineup against the Jaguars after missing two games with a toe injury. But neither he nor Mac Jones (knee) was cleared for a full week of practice. So the 49ers will need those around the starting quarterback to come through — on offense, defense and special teams.Here are five 49ers to watch on Sunday against the Jaguars:RT Colton McKivitzEverybody knows the identity of the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, right? That’s Purdy, of course.But did you know the No. 1 overall pick that year will be on the field, too? Nope, not quarterback Trevor Lawrence. He was the top selection in the 2021 draft.The No. 1 overall pick in ’22 was defensive end Travon Walker, who will line up across from 49ers right tackle Colton McKivitz for most of Sunday’s game.Walker has averaged a half-sack throughout his 52-game NFL career. He and Josh Allen-Hines form a strong pair of edge rushers for a defense that is the strength of the team.Meanwhile, McKivitz has gotten off to a strong start. He ranks 13th in the NFL among all offensive tackles in PFF’s grading system and fifth among right tackles. He will be counted upon to hold up one-on-one against Walker in the run game and in pass protection.CB Renardo GreenJaguars coach Liam Coen will try to exploit the weakness in the 49ers’ defensive backfield. He is likely to zero in on left cornerback Renardo Green, as teams have shied away from going after Deommodore Lenoir on the other side.Green allowed six receptions for 116 yards while being targeted 12 times in three games. He has been called for three penalties. One was accepted — a 33-yard pass interference call that gave the Arizona Cardinals a first-and-goal situation at the 1-yard line in Week 3.Green figures to see a variety of receivers on Sunday, including Brian Thomas and rookie Travis Hunter. Things have not always gone smoothly for Lawrence, but he has a big arm and the ability to get the ball down the field against busted coverages.RG Dominick PuniThrough three games, right guard Dominick Puni has not carried over a strong rookie season into his second year in the NFL. And he figures to face a stiff challenge on Sunday against a player who is well-known to 49ers fans.Jaguars defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who spent his first nine NFL seasons with the 49ers, will make his first appearance against his former team. He will be lined up most of the game against Puni, who has started all 20 games at right guard since coming to the 49ers as a third-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.Puni has not received high PFF marks for his run-blocking, as the 49ers are averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. Christian McCaffrey has a 3.4-yard average per carry. Puni has surrendered five quarterback pressures in three games.K Eddy PiñeiroWhy do we get the feeling that Sunday was not the only time the 49ers will need to call on kicker Eddy Piñeiro to come through in the clutch?Piñeiro looked calm as he nailed a 35-yarder through the uprights to allow the 49ers to escape from Week 3 with a 16-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. That sight was a welcomed relief for 49ers fans, who grew accustomed to the coin-flip success (or lack thereof) any time Jake Moody took the field.Piñeiro has moved into third place on the NFL’s all-time list for field-goal accuracy. Piñeiro, 30, has made 116 of 131 career attempts (88.5 percent) and even connected from 51 yards in his first game at Levi’s Stadium. It looks as if this game sets up to be another close, low-scoring game in which every point will be critical.WR Ricky PearsallWhile there has been so much instability at wide receiver, second-year player Ricky Pearsall has given the 49ers exactly what they need. He has been reliable in the clutch, too, as evidenced by his 34-yard reception on a fourth-and-2 situation in the fourth quarter of the 49ers’ Week 3 win over Arizona.Pearsall enters the week ranked No. 3 in the NFL with 281 yards receiving — behind only Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba (402) and Puka Nakua (333) of the Rams.The 49ers’ first-round pick of 2024, Pearsall likely will be matched on occasion against Travis Hunter, the Heisman Trophy winner from Colorado. The Jaguars traded up to select Hunter at No. 2 overall. He is a two-way player who has yet to find his niche on either side of the ball.Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

Five 49ers to watch as team looks to remain undefeated in Week 4 vs. Jaguars

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