Kyle Shanahan believes this player has ‘as good of a shot as anyone’ to earn playing time on offense

The article discusses key position battles during the San Francisco 49ers' training camp, particularly focusing on backup roles.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan highlighted the starting left guard competition between Ben Bartch and Nick Zakelj. Bartch is currently leading, but missed evaluation opportunities last season due to injuries. Shanahan expressed excitement about watching them compete, noting Bartch's return and that the situation has given Zakelj valuable extra reps.

Shanahan also identified a significant battle for the RB2 job behind Christian McCaffrey, naming Patrick Taylor Jr. as having "just as good of a shot as anyone." Shanahan praised Taylor Jr.'s improvement last year, his special teams value, and his effective running late in the season. Taylor Jr. is competing primarily with second-year back Isaac Guerendo (noted for explosiveness), along with Jordan James (being re-evaluated for knee issues), undrafted free agent Corey Kiner, and newly signed Ameer Abdullah (viewed more as a camp body). Taylor Jr.'s potential advantages include pass protection, short-yardage ability, system knowledge, and consistency. Early in camp, Taylor Jr. and Guerendo have rotated with the first team when McCaffrey is out.