SANTA CLARA — The 49ers’ healthy regulars participated in the joint practice Tuesday against the Tennessee Titans.
That was their work for the week. At least, that’s how 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan saw it.
All the recognizable 49ers were spectators Thursday for the preseason opener, as the Titans never trailed in a 19-13 win at Levi’s Stadium.
Shanahan was on the sideline, as usual. He continues to make progress from a concussion he sustained on July 14 in a car accident in Palo Alto. He turned play-calling duties over to offensive coordinator Klay Kubiak.
Shanahan opted to use the first dress rehearsal of the summer to evaluate the young players and veterans fighting for spots on the regular-season roster.
First-year Titans coach Robert Saleh took another approach. Tennessee is coming off a 3-14 season. Brian Callahan was fired after just six games last season, which opened the door for the former 49ers’ defensive coordinator to take on the rebuild.
It was good work for the 49ers youngsters, as they went up against the Titans starters for most of the first half.
Here are three takeaways from the 49ers’ first appearance under the lights of the preseason:
Stribling stands out
Rookie wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling was a definite bright spot for the 49ers through nearly three weeks of training camp.
And that carried over to his preseason debut.
The ball went to Stribling early and often. One catchable pass slipped through his hands on a ball thrown a little behind him. That was the only pass thrown his way that hit the ground.
Stribling, the No. 33 overall pick in the draft, caught seven passes for 63 yards. He had a 32-yard reception, a strong-handed grab against Titans starting cornerback Cor’Dale Flott.
Stribling’s best play was a tight-rope act along the sideline. He caught a short pass at the right sideline against cornerback Marcus Harris, spun away and gained 11 yards for a first down.
It appeared as if Stribling might have stepped out of bounds twice. Upon replay, the ruling on the field stood.
If camp is any indication, Stribling should have a major role in the 49ers’ offense, along with veterans Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel.
Rourke solid before being sidelined
Quarterback Kurtis Rourke is not going to unseat Mac Jones as the 49ers’ backup to Brock Purdy. But he has a strong chance to slide into that role a year from now.
Rourke was a seventh-round pick of the 49ers in the 2026 NFL Draft. He put on a 49ers’ uniform for the first time on Thursday. Rourke underwent reconstructive ACL surgery before the draft, so the 49ers were playing the long game.
Rourke left the game midway through the second quarter with a ribs injury after leading the 49ers on an 11-play, 68-yard touchdown drive. Running back Patrick Taylor Jr. accounted for San Francisco’s only touchdown with a 1-yard run.
He finished his night with 12 completions in 14 attempts for 101 yards. He added 14 yards on three scrambles.
Rourke figures to stick with the 49ers this season. He could easily work his way into the backup role next season, assuming Jones leaves next offseason for a better opportunity elsewhere.
Next wave of defenders?
With the regulars getting the night off, the door opened for a pair of promising draft picks on defense — defensive tackle Gracen Halton and linebacker Jaden Dugger — to make their cases for significant playing time once the regular season begins.
Halton, a fourth-round pick from Oklahoma, is constantly around the ball and causing disruption in practices. He took advantage of his action on Thursday with three tackles in the first half, including a stop of running back Tyjae Spears for a 1-yard loss. Halton had a 14-yard sack of Cam Ward nullified by a defensive holding penalty on Jakob Robinson.
Dugger started at the 49ers’ “fever backer” position and played the entire first half. He did not wait long to show some of his immense physical talent. On the second defensive snap, he ran down Ward to hold him for just a 2-yard gain on a scramble.
Four plays later, he got stuck on right tackle JC Latham’s block on a third-and-10 play and could not prevent a short pass to that side going for 16 yards.
Dugger must continue to learn and develop, and he will put himself into position to see a lot of action alongside starting inside linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.