49ers 53-man roster projection 1.0: Post-draft edition
The bulk of the 49ers’ offseason maneuvers are done. All that’s left is some minor tinkering that’ll take place throughout training camp as the club gets a look at players and players become unavailable.
Now that we know the 49ers’ draft picks, we can use them in our first 53-man roster projection of the offseason. Rookies will be noted in italics.
Quarterback (3)
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Jimmy Garoppolo Trey Lance Josh Rosen Three quarterbacks sounds right. Rosen, Nate Sudfeld and Josh Johnson will duke it out for the QB3 spot in camp.
Running back (4)
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Raheem Mostert Trey Sermon Jeff Wilson Jr. Wayne Gallman Rookie sixth-round pick Elijah Mitchell will also factor in here. The veteran Gallman gets the nod for now. San Francisco could opt for three running backs on the roster, too. Mostert, Sermon and Wilson are the clear top three heading into the offseason program.
Fullback (1)
(AP Photo/Scott Eklund)
Kyle Juszczyk Pencil Juszczyk in as the lone fullback on the roster for the foreseeable future.
Wide receiver (6)
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Brandon Aiyuk Deebo Samuel Travis Benjamin Richie James Jr. Austin Watkins Jr. Jalen Hurd The back end of the receiver depth chart could go a bunch of different ways. Aiyuk and Samuel are locked in. After that there are question marks all over. Watkins is an undrafted rookie who could wind up carving out a role in the Kendrick Bourne vein in his first year. Mohamed Sanu, Jauan Jennings and Trent Sherfield should all be in the mix as well.
Tight end (3)
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George Kittle Ross Dwelley Charlie Woerner Daniel Helm and undrafted rookie Josh Pederson are the only other players who could fit in as the fourth TE.
Offensive line (9)
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Trent Williams Laken Tomlinson Alex Mack Aaron Banks Mike McGlinchey Daniel Brunskill Jaylon Moore Colton McKivitz Shon Coleman Nine offensive linemen feels right with so many rookies sprinkled throughout the roster. Coleman missed 2019 with an injury and opted out of 2020. He's the leader to be the swing tackle with Moore, McKivitz and Brunskill all moving inside.
Defensive line (8)
(AP Photo/Tony Avelar)
Nick Bosa Samson Ebukam Javon Kinlaw Arik Armstead DJ Jones Maurice Hurst Kevin Givens Jordan Willis Arden Key This is an odd group that may see some changes during the offseason. Dee Ford's health could shake things up for the better, and defensive tackle Zach Kerr will also factor into that battle for interior spots.
Linebacker (5)
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Fred Warner Dre Greenlaw Nate Gerry Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles Azeez Al-Shaair There aren't many other options on the roster unless the club intends on using Marcell Harris or rookie fifth-round pick Talanoa Hufanga as a Sam linebacker.
Cornerback (6)
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Jason Verrett Emmanuel Moseley K'Waun Williams Ambry Thomas Deommodore Lenoir Ken Webster The 49ers have a pretty bad cornerback depth problem, as evidenced by two rookies and Webster rounding out the roster for now. Perhaps a player like Tim Harris Jr. or Dontae Johnson steps up in camp. Richard Sherman could also re-sign, but for now this group is shaky and not well-insulated from injury.
Safety (5)
(AP Photo/Alex Gallardo)
Jimmie Ward Jaquiski Tartt Tarvarius Moore Talanoa Hufanga Tavon Wilson The safety depth isn't great on this roster either. Last season Marcell Harris moved from strong safety to linebacker. That versatility may earn him a roster spot in 2021.
Specialists (3)
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Robbie Gould Mitch Wishnowsky Taybor Pepper They're all set and barring unavailability we won't see any changes here.
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