The 49ers’ much-discussed quarterback competition has a decision date.

Head coach Chip Kelly said Tuesday that the decision on a starter — Blaine Gabbert or Colin Kaepernick — will be made after reviewing video from Thursday’s preseason finale at San Diego.

“We’re going to have to evaluate the tape, so it’ll at least be a day after,” Kelly said. “We have to go through everything, get a chance to get information and go from there.”

Back to Gallery 49ers to name starting QB after San Diego game 49 1 of 49 Photo: Stephen Lam, Special to The Chronicle 2 of 49 Photo: Associated Press 3 of 49 Photo: Associated Press 4 of 49 Photo: Associated Press 5 of 49 Photo: Special to The Chronicle 6 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 7 of 49 Photo: Beck Diefenbach, For The Chronicle 8 of 49 Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle 9 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 10 of 49 Photo: Michael Short, Special to the Chronicle 11 of 49 Photo: Michael Short, Special to the Chronicle 12 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 13 of 49 Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle 14 of 49 Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle 15 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 16 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 17 of 49 Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle 18 of 49 Photo: Sean Ryan, Sean Ryan NFL 19 of 49 Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle 20 of 49 Photo: Kaepernick Family, Courtesy 21 of 49 Photo: Jeff Zelevansky, Getty Images 22 of 49 Photo: Ethan Miller, Getty Images 23 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 24 of 49 Photo: Pitman High School, Courtesy 25 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 26 of 49 Photo: 49ers, Courtesy 27 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 28 of 49 Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images 29 of 49 Photo: Ezra Shaw, Getty Images 30 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 31 of 49 Photo: Jordan Stead, Special to the Chronicle 32 of 49 Photo: Chris Graythen, Getty Images 33 of 49 Photo: Jeff Chiu, Associated Press 34 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 35 of 49 Photo: Harry How, Getty Images 36 of 49 Photo: Seth Perlman, Associated Press 37 of 49 Photo: John Froschauer, Associated Press 38 of 49 Photo: Michael Short, Special to the Chronicle 39 of 49 Photo: John Froschauer, Associated Press 40 of 49 Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle 41 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 42 of 49 Photo: Michael Macor, The Chronicle 43 of 49 Photo: Brant Ward, The Chronicle 44 of 49 Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle 45 of 49 Photo: Jeff Chiu, AP 46 of 49 Photo: Bill Haber, AP 47 of 49 Photo: Stephen Lam, Special to The Chronicle 48 of 49 Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez, Associated Press 49 of 49 Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle

































































































Kelly reiterated that Kaepernick is one of his top two quarterbacks, which would seem to indicate that either Christian Ponder or Jeff Driskel, both of whom are behind Kaepernick on the depth chart, would be cut. The deadline for teams to trim their rosters to 53 players is 1 p.m. Saturday.

On Sunday, Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer reported that Kaepernick could be released ahead of the season opener for football reasons. On Monday, offensive coordinator Curtis Modkins said he anticipates Kaepernick being on the roster for the Sept. 12 season opener against the Rams.

This much is clear: Thursday’s exhibition will be crucial for Kaepernick, who has made news off the field, too, in the wake of his declining to stand for pregame national anthems.

Gabbert, the strong favorite to be named the starter, won’t play against the Chargers because his 43 preseason snaps have offered the 49ers plenty of video to evaluate.

But after missing the first two exhibition games with a sore shoulder, Kaepernick enters Thursday with only 13 preseason snaps. He was 2-for-6 passing for 14 yards against Green Bay on Friday. He might stay on the roster as the backup quarterback, given the 49ers’ options.

Driskel, a rookie from Louisiana Tech, was taken in the sixth round of the draft, and Ponder was unemployed for eight months before joining the 49ers toward the end of training camp.

“It depends,” Kelly said when asked whether the 49ers would have three quarterbacks for the season opener. “We want to keep the best football players on the team. So if it forces you to lose someone at another position who you think is a quality football player, you’ve got it down to two or three.”

Briefly: Defensive lineman Quinton Dial, who suffered a left knee injury in the first half against the Packers, is expected to return for the season opener after missing Thursday’s preseason finale. ... Kelly said that when he found out Kaepernick was sitting for pregame national anthems, he didn’t feel compelled to discuss it with his quarterback: “It’s his right as a citizen.” ... Outside linebacker Jason Fanaika was waived as the team cut the roster to 75 players for Tuesday’s deadline. Fanaika was an undrafted rookie from Utah. In two seasons with the Utes, he recorded 88 tackles and nine sacks.

Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.

Chargers honoring military Thursday

Colin Kaepernick will sit. And San Diego will salute.

Kaepernick’s choosing not to stand for the national anthem will coincide with the Chargers’ 28th annual “Salute to the Military” celebration during the 49ers’ final preseason game Thursday in San Diego.

The national anthem will be performed by Petty Officer 1st Class Steve Powell from the Navy while 240 sailors, Marines and soldiers present a huge American flag, the Chargers announced. Powell will return at the start of the third quarter to perform “God Bless America.”

San Diego County has seven military bases and the largest concentration of military personnel and ships in the world, according to the website MilitaryPress.com.

Chargers spokesman Bill Johnston said he didn’t know whether additional security would be present Thursday. Kaepernick has said he’s not “too concerned” about his safety.

“If something happens,” Kaepernick has said, “that’s only proving my point.”

At halftime, the Chargers will recognize six Vietnam War veterans and will have wounded warriors as special guests. Halftime activities will conclude with a patriotic fireworks show.

— Eric Branch