Five 49ers That Need to Impress Against the Saints

Whether it is to make the final roster cuts or to become a starter, these are the five 49ers who need to impress in the second preseason game against the Saints.

Aug 25, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ronnie Bell (10) during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports / Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

The second preseason game is right around the corner for the San Francisco 49ers.

This time they will be at home at Levi’s Stadium to host the New Orleans Saints. The 49ers were supposed to hold joint-practices with the Saints in Irvine this week, but canceled them due to injuries. Since they couldn’t do so, Kyle Shanahan will be using this preseason game to see which of his players will step up.

Here are the five 49ers that need to impress against the Saints.

S Malik Mustapha

Rookie safety Malik Mustapha was excellent against the Tennessee Titans in the first preseason game. He showed a little of everything that is demanded of a safety and did so with fearless aggression on every single rep. Mustapha needs to sustain that level of play against the Saints.

That is because he could end up earning a role as a starter next to Ji’Ayir Brown. Talanoa Hufanga is unlikely to be ready and start Week 1 against the New York Jets. As a result, there is an opening at safety. Mustapha has already impressed in one preseason game, but needs to do it again this week to convince Shanahan that he should start over George Odum.

CB Renardo Green

Another rookie who is staring at a potential starting role is cornerback Renardo Green. With Isaac Yiadom nursing an ankle injury, Green needs to take advantage of the situation. Before Yiadom got hurt, it looked as if he was guaranteed the starting spot opposite of Charvarius Ward.

His injury now paves the way for Green to start so long as he can look the part. He had himself a decent game against the Titans. It wasn’t bad at all, but it also wasn’t anything to brag about. This game against the Saints can be his time to make a statement, especially since he is showing his capability to play inside-and-out.

OL Dominick Puni

Notice a trend here? Yes, Dominick Puni is another rookie that needs to impress with a starting role on the line. It is crazy to think that the 49ers, a Super Bowl contending team, can possibly have three rookies become a starter, especially since none are first-round picks. Of all the rookies the 49ers have, it is Puni who is the likeliest to start.

It is for the same reasons as Mustapha and Green. Puni has a chance to start due to injuries to the original starter(s). He already has put together one solid game. Now he needs to do it again and stack them together. The starters will be seeing a series or two, so that is where he will really earn his keep if Brock Purdy is kept safe on his side.

LB Dee Winters

One of the more hyped players from OTAs and training camp has been second-year linebacker Dee Winters. With Dre Greenlaw on the mend, Winters has been presented with more opportunities to stand out. Against the Titans Winters was decent. He looked solid initially, but eventually tapered off as the game went on.

He needs to show that the hype on him has been real when the Saints come to town. De’Vondre Campbell is the starter alongside Fred Warner, but all it takes is for Winters to impress in this game for there to suddenly be a stronger case for him to be it. He did enough against the Titans to be in the conversation. He just needs to clean up the mistakes from that game and show how he can be starting material.

WR Ronnie Bell

One player who is in danger of not making the final roster cuts is wide receiver Ronnie Bell. He has had an up-and-down training camp and didn’t make up for it against the Titans either. Bell was fairly mediocre in that game. The impact on special teams was lacking and he missed opportunities to impress as a receiver.

He needs to bounce back desperately against the Saints and make Shanahan and the coaches feel impressed with his performance. It at least has to be good enough to get them thinking about what he could do. That way it will set him up for the next week of practice and for the preseason finale to really stand out. Otherwise, he can kiss a roster spot goodbye.