Broncos vs. 49ers: Chatting with FanSided’s Niner Noise

The Denver Broncos play in their first preseason game at home against the San Francisco 49ers. We chatted with Peter Pancy of Niner Noise to get the 411.

It has felt like training camp and preseason has gone so long for the Denver Broncos with the long road trips. But now, the team can enjoy a preseason game within the walls of Broncos Stadium at Mile High.

On Monday, the Broncos welcome the San Francisco 49ers. Both teams had the opportunity to know each other a little bit more due to joint practices on Friday and Saturday.

When it comes to the preseason, the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers know each other quite well. Denver will look to change their fortunes this time around. Both teams met in the regular season last year, where the 49ers used a big first half to stay in front of the Broncos and never looked back.

I am pleased to be joined by Peter Pancy, who is the site expert over at Niner Noise. With both teams facing off, I sat down and asked him some questions about how the 49ers have done this offseason.

PO: How would you grade the San Francisco 49ers offseason? Any moves that surprised you and any that you wish the team would have made?

NN: I’d give the 49ers offseason grade a solid B. The team addressed some key needs, notably upgrading the pass rush by adding EDGE Dee Ford and selecting arguably the top prospect in the NFL Draft, Nick Bosa. Linebacker Kwon Alexander seemed expensive at the time. But his deal could look like a smart one in a year or two. And I’m liking what San Francisco’s rookie wide receivers, Deebo Samuel and Jalen Hurd, are doing so far.

Yet I’m still a little perplexed why the Niners didn’t pursue secondary help a bit more aggressively, particularly at safety. Earl Thomas was seen as a top target, yet the 49ers didn’t appear to have a lot of interest. Tre Boston could have been a much cheaper option, but the 49ers didn’t pursue him either. Both would have been an upgrade.

PO: Do you think the 49ers are playing it safe not having Nick Bosa participate in preseason despite not seeing much of him.

NN: Absolutely. Bosa is one of those players who doesn’t really need much of a training camp or preseason. From all the reports, he was thriving in camp before he got hurt. Considering how big an investment he is, there’s little reason to rush things and risk further injury. Simply put, he’s one of those players you can plug in right away during the regular season and get a massive impact in return.

PO: What do you believe will be the benefit of the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers having joint practices?

NN: I think there’s always a bonus to these joint practices. For starters, there are only so many reps during preseason games, as units switch out. During inter-team practices, you’re going up against the same guys over and over again. But during joint sessions, you get to match up against players with different tendencies and skill sets. That’s the reality of the NFL, and it should serve to better prepare both squads for the regular season.

Plus, the Niners and Broncos have a bit of a working relationship with each other the past few years. It’s nice to see that continue.

PO: What is the one thing you are looking for in Monday’s game?

NN: I’m curious to see how San Francisco’s first-team offense goes up against what Broncos head coach Vic Fangio and defensive coordinator Ed Donatell will do early on. Play calling will be vanilla, yes. But 49ers fans know both Fangio and Donatell well from their days with the Niners, when San Francisco boasted one of the most dominant defenses in the league earlier this decade.

The 49ers offense has been somewhat inconsistent during training camp, so that will be something of a watered-down chess match to watch.

PO: What is one player that Broncos fans should keep an eye on from the San Francisco 49ers?

NN: [Jalen]Hurd has been rising up as of late. For those not in the know, he was a former college running back, who transferred to Baylor to play wide receiver. He’s raw, but the 6-foot-5 frame is hard to ignore. It might take some time to polish his abilities, but Hurd has been turning heads in camp as of late. And his two-touchdown performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 1 of the preseason was impressive to watch.

Plus, rookies are always fun to keep an eye on, right?

Thank You Peter for taking the time out to chat with me. If you want to see his interview with me, you can check it out here.