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San Francisco 49ers: Position Battles Highlight Preseason Opener

By Marc Grandi

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Right Guard

December 1, 2013; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers guard

Joe Looney

(78) blocks against St. Louis Rams defensive tackle

Kendall Langford

(98) during the first quarter at Candlestick Park. The 49ers defeated the Rams 23-13. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

As we all know, last year’s starting right guard — Alex Boone — is still holding out. He’s hoping to get a contract extension with San Francisco. The success of Boone’s holdout may depend chiefly on how fellow guard Joe Looney fills in.

Looney has been taking the first team repetitions thus far in camp. Even if Looney struggles, the 49ers have another option in veteran Adam Snyder, who can fill in for almost anyone on the offensive line.

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    • Nonetheless, watching how Looney performs against Baltimore on Thursday should be interesting. If the 49ers like what they see, Boone may lose some bargaining power. But if Looney struggles, Boone gains leverage and may be able to work out a new deal with San Francisco before the regular season begins.

    Left guard Mike Iupati is in the final year of his contract, making left guard a possible landing spot for Looney as well.

    This preseason is very important to Looney as it could be the beginning of consistent playing time for him. He must get off to a good start and perform well in Baltimore.

    I’d keep an eye on Looney for however long he’s on the field on Thursday night.