San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan was asked Monday about two of the more intriguing roster competitions coming out of training camp and the preseason: the starting left guard position and who will serve as Christian McCaffrey's primary backup at running back.

When asked whether the team had reached a decision on either role, Shanahan simply said, "Don't know yet."


There may be little strategic benefit to revealing those answers before the 49ers face the Los Angeles Rams in their Week 1 matchup in Melbourne, Australia. However, Shanahan insisted he wasn't simply withholding the information to limit what the Rams know about his team.

"It's the truth," Shanahan admitted. "Usually, we get all three of these practices, and then by that Monday is when we come in and usually do leadership council, captains, and, 'All right, this is who we're rolling with.'

"But we haven't had those three practices yet, and we just added a new guy to the group, too. So, it's truly fluid."

That new addition is offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson, whom the 49ers acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans. Patterson has experience at both center and left guard, potentially allowing him to enter the competition for the starting job.

"We love that he has some flex at center and guard," Shanahan said of Patterson. "It's still fluid in all our positions in there, so I want to see where he fits in the group in these three days. That is the hard thing with not just going to Australia, but just not opening on a Sunday. The time that we're usually used to making some of these decisions have all been sped up.


"So, I want to get him in the group, see where he fits, just see him in person, see how he can help us at guard, how he can help us at center and how he stacks up to the other guys."

Second-year offensive lineman Connor Colby and rookie Carver Willis will look to hold off Patterson as they compete for the starting left guard job.

49ers still sorting out McCaffrey's primary backup


The competition at running back remains unsettled as well. Rookie Kaelon Black and second-year player Jordan James are battling to become the first option off the bench when McCaffrey needs a breather.

Both players missed time during training camp. James was sidelined with a rib fracture, while Black dealt with an adductor injury.

"We love what we've seen from Kaelon and when he's been out there," general manager John Lynch said on Monday. "Jordan James came back from an early injury and looked really good in our final preseason game."


With Monday's practice in the books, the 49ers have two remaining practices to evaluate both competitions before traveling to Australia.

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