The San Francisco 49ers are preparing for their second preseason game on Thursday, against the Los Angeles Chargers.
This will be another great opportunity to see who’s making progress and also how the team is feeling about certain things. There are a few position battles raging, but the majority of the roster spots are already accounted for.
Today, let’s take stock of the roster and see which of the 53 final spots are already set in stone.
Quarterback (2): Brock Purdy, Mac Jones
Tight End (3): George Kittle, Jake Tonges, Luke Farrell
If Kittle starts the season on the PUP list, then Brayden Willis probably makes the team. If we fast-forward to October, though, these will be the main three tight ends.
Offensive Line (8): Trent Williams, Connor Colby, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Carver Willis, Vederian Lowe, Brett Toth
The offensive line definitely has some spots up for grabs, including one starting spot. Colby, Willis, and Robert Jones are fighting for that spot, but I don’t think Jones is a lock to make the team unless he wins it.
Lowe and Toth are solid veterans I’m confident will be on the team. The last spot will probably go to Austen Pleasants, but it’s up in the air.
Defensive Line (7): Nick Bosa, Alfred Collins, Osa Odighizuwa, Keion White, Romello Height, Sam Okuayinonu, Gracen Halton
Bosa and White should start on the outside, and Height and Okuayinonu are locks to be rotational edge pieces. Odighizuwa and Collins are locks on the interior, while the rookie Halton is a lock to back them up.
There is at least one edge spot still available and one or two spots in the interior.
Linebacker (5): Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Tatum Bethune, Jaden Dugger, Luke Gifford
This is a very talented room. I don’t see any scenario where any of these five don’t make the team, which likely means there’s only one spot available. Nick Martin could be on the outs after an underwhelming preseason.
Martin and Garrett Wallow would make most teams, so that tells you how deep this unit is.
Cornerback (5): Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Jack Jones, Ephesians Prysock
There’s probably one corner spot available, and it’ll come down to Nate Hobbs or special teams ace Darrell Luter Jr. Prysock was probably always making the team as a rookie, but he achieved lock status in the preseason opener.
Safety (3): Malik Mustapha, Ji’Ayir Brown, Siran Neal
Brown will be one of the starters, and Neal is an elite special teamer. Mustapha is battling with Marques Sigle for the starting job, but Sigle has had an underwhelming summer and theoretically could be cut.
It will be interesting to see if UDFA Jalen Stroman or veteran Ashtyn Davis can claim a spot.
Specialists (3): Corliss Waitman (P), Eddy Pineiro (K), Jon Weeks (LS)
The 49ers ended the punting competition early when they cut Jack Bouwmeester last week. Now, none of these three have competition on the roster.
Analysis
So, we have 44 spots accounted for already, which means there are eight spots still up for grabs.
Wide receiver, offensive line, and defensive line are the position groups with the most spots available. Players like Kurtis Rourke, Jacob Watkins, Enrique Cruz Jr., Bryson Eason, and Marques Sigle are some interesting bubble players to keep an eye on over the next couple of weeks.
