Tiller again starting after Davis’ absence
After finishing last year as a starter, 49ers guard Andrew
Tiller wasn’t discussed much in the offseason.
After all, the 49ers signed guard Zane Beadles in free agency, used the No. 28 overall pick on Stanford guard Joshua
Garnett and moved Anthony Davis to right guard in training camp. Tiller? A nice backup, right? As it turns out, though, it has been Tiller who has started the first two games at right guard.
The 49ers’ surprise starter acknowledged Wednesday that he was disappointed to be a second-stringer late this summer, but his complete answer hints at his background. A 2012 sixth-round pick, Tiller is a practice-squad veteran who was waived five times in his first 41 months in the league.
“Yeah, I was disappointed, but I was also happy just to still be around,” Tiller said. “Still have a job. But everybody wants to start. I couldn’t take it to heart. I had to go out there and continue to work.”
Tiller earned the promotion after Davis missed practice Sept. 10, two days before a season-opening win against the Rams. Davis subsequently went back to being primarily the team’s backup right tackle, and Tiller unexpectedly returned to the starting spot he had for the final seven games in 2015 and part of training camp.
Tiller said he was told he’d start in Week 1 on the same day Davis missed practice.
“I was ready,” Tiller said. “I take the field every day like I’m going to start, so it wasn’t like ‘Oh my God, I’m actually starting this week.’ ”
Skov promoted: Shayne
Skov’s preseason performance paid off for him when he was moved from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
The inside linebacker from Stanford earned the promotion after an exhibition season that included 13 tackles, a sack, two tackles for losses and two pass breakups. He fills the roster spot vacated when the 49ers placed inside linebacker RayRay Armstrong on injured reserve with a pectoral injury.
“Shayne was actually a difficult cut at the cut to 53 because I thought he did enough to make the team,” head coach
Chip Kelly said. “Obviously, we felt like we had six inside linebackers that were NFLquality players, so that was a difficult day for Shayne and for us.”
Skov joins a group of inside linebackers headlined by starter Gerald Hodges and Michael Wilhoite, who will see more snaps after playing only on special teams in the first two games. Wilhoite, who started 28 games the past two seasons, is expected to play on passing downs because of his coverage ability.
Skov, 26, a 2014 undrafted free agent, had four specialteams tackles in 15 games last season. He spent part of 2014 on the 49ers’ practice squad. The 49ers signed linebacker
Curtis Grant (6-foot-2, 240 pounds) to fill Skov’s spot on the practice squad. Grant, who entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent from Ohio State, has spent time on the practice squads of the Falcons and Raiders. Injury report: Davis (concussion) did not practice. Safety Marcus Cromartie (ankle), defensive tackle Mike Purcell (ankle), cornerback Keith Reaser (ankle), safety Jaquiski Tartt (knee) and Tiller (ankle) were limited.