49ers' preseason opener offered clear clue as to how critical position battle is likely to turn out

There generally isn't too much to be gleaned from what actually happens in preseason games, but who plays in them and to what extent can give an indicator as to how certain position battles are likely to shake out.

For the San Francisco 49ers, the most important position battle on a loaded roster concerns the third cornerback spot.

Veteran free agent signing Isaac Yiadom is battling rookie Renardo Green for that role, and the 49ers' preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans provided a clear clue as to who is in the lead.

While Yiadom, who has by all accounts been enjoying a strong training camp after a severely underrated 2023 season with the New Orleans Saints, sat out San Francisco's first game of the exhibition schedule, second-round pick Green played 61 defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus, the most of any player on that side of the ball.

An injury to Ambry Thomas, who broke his forearm, will have had an impact on that high number.

But the fact Green was in the game for so long while Yiadom did not play at all suggests it is the latter who has a grip on the third cornerback role. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has consistently said he values practices at training camp above preseason games, and Yiadom being omitted from the Titans game points the Niners being satisfied with the former third-round pick to the extent that they did not want to risk losing him to injury.

If Yiadom does indeed go on to win the third cornerback role, that will likely mean him playing as an outside corner on nickel downs with Deommodore Lenoir kicking inside to the slot as he did down the stretch and in the playoffs last season.

Green will be hoping to convince the 49ers to deploy him as an outside corner on nickel downs or play him in the slot full-time. The former Florida State corner played 32 of his snaps in the slot against Tennessee and 27 as an outside corner.

There is still time for him to turn the tables that appear right now to be in Yiadom's favor, but all the signs point to the 49ers going with the experienced option, relying on Lenoir's versatility as they did last year and having Green as a young backup in whom they have a lot of belief . Whichever way this battle ultimately works out, the 49ers are in a substantially better position at corner than in years gone by.

Related: How to watch and stream the San Francisco 49ers vs. New Orleans Saints preseason game