49er Fringe Players: A Last-Second 53-Man Roster Prediction

(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

For years, the "F" word has been labeled as vulgar and offensive. To NFL hopefuls, the word is no different.

To any NFL journeyman, practice squad holdover, and rookie selected beyond the fifth round of the NFL draft, being labeled a “Fringe” NFL player is like telling a grade school boy they’re pretty strong...for a girl.

To those unfamiliar with the term "fringe player," fringe players are players on a team's expanded 73-man roster who are about as likely to be cut as they are to be employed on the day of the 53-man roster cutdown.

Unless these players live in Michael Crabtree’s mock reality (see previous article), most realize that they are fringe players. Some will take the added pressure as a motivator and rise to the occassion; others will fold like a miserly French poker player. 

Broken down by position, Scott McCloughan’s “fringe players” are likely to include the following 49er hopefuls.

Offense

WR

Jason Hill

Dominique Ziegler

Michael Spurlock

RB/FB

Kory Sheets

Moran Norris (is on the wrong side of 30, at a short-lifespan position)

Britt Miller

QB

Nate Davis

Damon Huard

TE

Bear Pascoe

Joe John Finley

OT

Alex Boone

Jacob Bender

Barry Sims

Defense/Special Teams

OLB

Ahmad Brooks

Diyral Briggs

Marquees Harris

CB

Eric Green

Marcus Hudson

FS/SS

Reggie Smith

Curtis Taylor

DL

Demetric Evans

Ricky Jean Francois

Ray MacDonald

Return Specialist

Allen Rossum

Michael Spurlock

Kory Sheets

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?