Early Projections for the San Francisco 49ers' Final 53-Man Roster
The San Francisco 49ers' offseason is in the books, and attention will now switch to the long process of evaluating the talent on the roster with a view to whittling the squad down to 53 for the opening weekend of the NFL season. And general manager Trent Baalke figures to have some tough decisions to make.
Following a draft in which the Niners added 10 new players, San Francisco's options are plentiful at a number of positions, including wide receiver, tight end and on the offensive line. Off-the-field issues surrounding the likes of Bruce Miller and Ahmad Brooks could also influence how the roster takes shape for a team that is looking to succeed off the field as well as on it.
With the 49ers' rookie minicamp yet to open, there is still a long way to go before Baalke even thinks about how the 53-man roster will look, and events during the team activities leading up to the new season are likely to have an impact on what he decides.
But it is never too early to assess the talent the 49ers have on their books, and here I make the call on which players will be on the roster and which ones will miss out after Baalke has made the final cuts ahead of San Francisco's Week 1 clash with the Minnesota Vikings.
Quarterback
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Current Players: Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert, Dylan Thompson
If you can say one thing about the 49ers' quarterback situation, it's that it is settled.
Colin Kaepernick is safely ensconced as the starter and will be under even more pressure to perform after a down year in 2014. Blaine Gabbert's re-signing with the team was a surprise, but at least he gives the Niners a backup with decent experience, although little of it has been positive for the former Jacksonville Jaguar.
Indeed, the only question surrounding the quarterback position for San Francisco is whether the Niners will carry a third signal-caller on the depth chart. Josh Johnson bounced on and off the active roster last year, but the 49ers carried just two quarterbacks for the most part under Jim Harbaugh.
Whether that trend continues under Jim Tomsula will depend on the play of undrafted free agent Dylan Thompson, who is in essence competing against players from other positions for a spot on the team.
The former South Carolina Gamecock will get plenty of time to impress in training camp and preseason but will need to improve his footwork and accuracy in order to do so. After he started just one year in the SEC, it will probably take some time for him to fix those issues enough for the Niners to feel comfortable with him as an emergency quarterback.
Kaepernick will be under center come Week 1, with Gabbert holding the clipboard. At this early stage it is tough to see Thompson continuing his development anywhere else than on the practice squad.
53-Man Roster: Kaepernick, Gabbert
Running Back
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Current Players: Carlos Hyde, Kendall Hunter, Reggie Bush, Mike Davis, Kendall Gaskins, Jarryd Hayne
The 49ers lost Frank Gore in the offseason, yet one could argue that their backfield is in better shape as a result.
Carlos Hyde will almost certainly step in as the starter and is in a good position to impress as an explosive, downhill runner with the ability to run over opposing defenders and deliver the bruising, physical style of play the 49ers want on offense. However, he will not have to do it all himself.
Reggie Bush came over on a one-year flier and should provide a pass-catching element out of the backfield. South Carolina's Mike Davis was drafted in the fourth round, and Kendall Hunter is back following the ACL injury that saw him miss all of 2014.
Given the Niners' love of running the ball, the likeliest scenario seems to be that all four of the those ball-carriers make the active roster. The primary concern surrounds Hunter who, if he is unable to display the kind of solid form he did prior to his injury, could struggle to make the team.
Hunter, though, has been productive in the past when backing up Gore and has won friends in the organization with his consistency. The former Oklahoma State back has displayed good speed, toughness and an ability to fight for yards on the edges and in between the tackles.
It would not be a surprise to see Hunter and Bush split time as the No. 2 guy, with Davis—who is remarkably similar to Hyde but comes into the league with concerns over his vision and conditioning—being inactive for most of the season.
As a fourth-round rookie, Davis' window to catch the eye is far bigger than that of Rugby League convert Jarryd Hayne. The Australian possesses the speed, agility and the power that teams look for, but he has conceded he is a long way from being in a position to fight for a roster spot, per the Guardian.
Hayne's best shot to make the team at this juncture would seem to be as a return man. Expect him to take a similar path to another player learning on the job in Lawrence Okoye in fighting for a place on the practice squad.
53-Man Roster: Hyde, Bush, Hunter, Davis
Fullback
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Current Players: Bruce Miller, Trey Millard
Bruce Miller has been one the more underrated assets of the 49ers offense in recent times, but off-the-field issues have put his future with the team in some doubt.
Miller was arrested on spousal battery suspicion back in March, but per NBC Bay Area News' Damian Trujillo, he has only been charged with misdemeanor vandalism after allegedly breaking his fiance's phone. That would seem to be a positive development for Miller, who—per CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco—is staying away from the team until the matter is resolved.
The absence of Miller from team activities gives 2014 seventh-round pick Trey Millard the chance to make an impression after redshirting his rookie year due to injury. Millard has been viewed as more of an H-back than a true fullback, where he started during his college career with the Oklahoma Sooners. He displays the ability to block, run and catch the ball out of the backfield and in the slot.
A one-speed runner with limited burst but good vision and patience, Millard is an effective, if not dominant, lead blocker who can also cover kicks, which may be his best route onto the team despite Miller's personal issues.
Much will depend on how the legal process plays out for Miller, but it would be a shock not to see him blocking for Hyde come Week 1. If not, Millard would be a capable fill-in, and due to his versatility and special teams experience, he has a good shot to make it to the 53-man group. I think he just misses out, but do not be surprised to see him causing a stir in preseason.
53-Man Roster: Miller
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Wide Receiver
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Current Players: Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin, Bruce Ellington, Quinton Patton, Jerome Simpson, DeAndre Smelter, Chuck Jacobs, Darius Davis, DeAndrew White, DiAndre Campbell, Dres Anderson, Issac Blakeney
The 49ers were widely anticipated to add a receiver in the early rounds of the draft but instead waited until the fourth round to select Georgia Tech's DeAndre Smelter, who could well start the season on the PUP list after suffering an ACL injury during his final year with the Yellow Jackets. Still, there figures to be plenty of competition for places behind prospective starters Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin.
Bruce Ellington showed flashes of talent in his rookie year as a versatile receiver who is a threat on reverses and was solid as a return man. His place on the roster is likely safe, as is that of free-agent acquisition Jerome Simpson who—despite his off-the-field issues—the Niners have committed $1.73 million to over the next two years.
The man on the bubble after a 2014 season in which he saw limited action is Quinton Patton. Free-agent additions such as Stevie Johnson and Brandon Lloyd pushed him down the depth chart last year, and now he could well be fighting it out with the five undrafted free agents.
Of those five acquisitions, Dres Anderson from Utah and DeAndrew White from Alabama are the best bets to challenge for a roster spot. Anderson's main asset is his acceleration, which he uses to test defenses deep while also displaying the ability to take screen passes and underneath throws to the house with his moves in open space.
However, Anderson has inconsistent hands and is not an effective route-runner. Those difficulties are not as apparent when watching White, who is smooth and agile in open space but went undrafted amid doubts over his explosion following an ACL injury in 2012.
Both Anderson and White have the skill sets to impress in camp and preseason, yet it will be a big ask for them to beat out a player in Patton who has shown a proficiency in making contested grabs and gaining yards after the catch and already has the experience of playing postseason football in the NFL.
53-Man Roster: Smith, Boldin, Ellington, Patton, Simpson
Tight End
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Current Players: Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald, Derek Carrier, Garrett Celek, Blake Bell, Rory Anderson, Asante Cleveland, Xavier Grimble
If you're searching for competition on the 49ers roster, then the tight end spot is the best place to look. After adding two in the draft, the Niners now have eight available going into 2015.
Despite a hugely disappointing 2014, Vernon Davis is likely to remain as the starter in the last year of his contract, but it is far from certain who his primary backups will be. The 49ers, like most teams, favor tight ends who can block, and the two they added, Blake Bell and Rory Anderson, are both unconvincing in that area of the game. Yet, they have talents that could see the duo become playmakers at the pro level.
Baalke, per David Fucillo of Niners Nation, has already mentioned the possibility of Bell serving as an emergency quarterback following the time he spent as the Oklahoma signal-caller, when he used his 6'6" and 252-pound frame to excel as a runner. San Francisco could use him in that role in a pinch to give the offense a different look, but given the confidence he has shown as a pass-catcher, it seems more probable he have a shot to impress at a position he is still learning after switching to tight end in 2014.
A player of Bell's size should be valuable in short-yardage and red-zone situations. The more athletic Anderson, at 6'5" and 244 pounds, is also a threat down by the goal line but also has proved capable of testing defenses vertically down the seams. Inconsistent hands and recurring problems with triceps injury saw Anderson drop to the seventh round, yet the ceiling is high for the former South Carolina man.
With their love of the run game, the 49ers have previously carried four tight ends on the active roster. Derek Carrier was the most impressive tight end in the passing game amid Davis' struggles in 2014 and signed a three-year contract extension back in March. Former second-round pick Vance McDonald has only really been a factor as a blocker, which has been Garrett Celek's primary job in his time with San Francisco.
Celek's contract carries far less dead money than McDonald's, so at this stage I would expect the Niners to let Celek go and give the versatile Bell the chance to develop. But do not discount Anderson, who has enough upside to at least warrant practice-squad consideration.
53-Man Roster: Davis, McDonald, Carrier, Bell
Offensive Line
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Current Players: Joe Staley, Anthony Davis, Alex Boone, Daniel Kilgore, Marcus Martin, Brandon Thomas, Joe Looney, Erik Pears, Dillon Farrell, Ian Silberman, Trenton Brown, Andrew Tiller, Chris Martin, Patrick Miller
While the Niners are well-stocked with depth on the offensive line, competition for roster spots appears unlikely to be too intense.
It is easy to envisage who, barring injuries, the Niners' top five or six guys will be in 2015. Joe Staley and Anthony Davis will again man the tackle spots, while Alex Boone should be the right guard.
The two major position battles are set to take place on the other two interior line spots, with Daniel Kilgore and Marcus Martin poised to fight for the starting center. The loser of that competition will try to beat out Brandon Thomas—who sat out his rookie year due to injury—for the left guard role vacated by Mike Iupati.
Beyond that there figures to be two, perhaps three, places up for grabs. Erik Pears, brought over from the Buffalo Bills in free agency, looks a lock for the swing tackle given that the Niners are paying him $1.45 million in 2015, while late-round draft picks Ian Silberman and Trenton Brown face a tough fight to make the roster against Joe Looney and Dillon Farrell, who have experience of playing in multiple positions up front for San Francisco.
Silberman played right tackle at USC but, due to his lack of foot quickness, seems a better fit as a guard at the next level, although his struggles at the second level should be a concern for a team that has put athletic linemen to good use in years past. Brown is a monster at 6'8" and 355 pounds and excels in the power game; however, he comes into the league with concerns over his fluctuating weight and conditioning.
Baalke, per Fucillo, described Brown as a "piece of clay." After seeing the line heavily affected by injuries last year, that is not what the Niners need in a backup. Brown and Silberman could make the practice squad, but the versatile Looney—having played every position on the line last season—is the best bet to take the final O-line roster spot.
53-Man Roster: Staley, Davis, Boone, Kilgore, Martin, Thomas, Pears, Looney
Defensive Line
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Current Players: Justin Smith, Glenn Dorsey, Ian Williams, Tank Carradine, Quinton Dial, Darnell Dockett, Arik Armstead, Tony Jerod-Eddie, Mike Purcell, Kaleb Ramsey, Lawrence Okoye, Garrison Smith
The one roster question surrounding the 49ers defensive line ahead of the 2015 season concerns the team's most experienced defender in Justin Smith.
San Francisco still does not know whether Smith will be back in 2015. Baalke told SiriusXM NFL Radio that he was planning to meet with the 14-year veteran Wednesday and Thursday to discuss his future, yet it remains to be seen whether the issue will be resolved anytime soon.
Should Smith come back for a 15th year, then the D-line rotation should be set. Glenn Dorsey and Ian Williams are likely to resume their battle for the starting nose tackle spot, with Tank Carradine and Quinton Dial—who both impressed toward the back end of last year—sure to be big factors in the rotation alongside free-agent addition Darnell Dockett and first-round pick Arik Armstead.
Tony Jerod-Eddie is in the conversation, but if Smith returns it is difficult to see how Jerod-Eddie could get consistent playing time with the resources San Francisco now has on the D-line. Should Smith call it a career, though, then Jerod-Eddie will almost certainly be on the roster as a rotational guy who has proved useful in recent times.
Until Smith's decision is known, this group will remain in limbo. My gut feeling is that Smith comes back and sees out his contract, and should that be the case, the Niners will have a good group on the defensive side of the trenches.
53-Man Roster: Justin Smith, Dorsey, Williams, Carradine, Dial, Dockett, Armstead
Inside Linebacker
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Current Players: NaVorro Bowman, Michael Wilhoite, Philip Wheeler, Nick Moody, Desmond Bishop, Nick Bellore, Shayne Skov
The inside linebacker position has gone from an area of great strength to one of some concern for the Niners following the retirements of Patrick Willis and Chris Borland. That has ratcheted up the pressure on NaVorro Bowman as the three-time All-Pro gets set to make his comeback from the knee injury that kept him out of the entire 2014 season.
Michael Wilhoite is a near lock to start alongside Bowman, but beyond that duo the lack of depth is concerning. Philip Wheeler and Desmond Bishop were both brought in on one one-year deals. Although Wheeler was decent as a run defender in 2014, neither of that duo really inspires confidence as a prospective fill-in should Bowman or Wilhoite go down.
One way the Niners could address the issue of depth on the inside would be to kick Ahmad Brooks in from his outside linebacker spot, but it is not surprising to see a report from CSN Bay Area's Matt Maiocco stating that the Niners still have some interest in free agent Lance Briggs.
Signing Briggs would at least give San Francisco another experienced head at the position. As it stands, though, Niners fans can hardly feel secure about the inside linebacker spot going into the coming campaign.
Should the 49ers decide not to bring in any further reinforcements at inside linebacker, then Wheeler, with his abilities as a run-stopper, and special teamer Nick Bellore would be the top candidates to back up Bowman and Wilhoite. However, if reports are to be believed, it is likely we see the Niners infuse more competition at the position.
53-Man Roster: Bowman, Wilhoite, Wheeler, Bellore
Outside Linebacker
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Current Players: Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Aaron Lynch, Eli Harold, Corey Lemonier, Marcus Rush
After acquiring Eli Harold in the third round of the draft, the 49ers look to have good depth at outside linebacker, so long as Aldon Smith can stay out of trouble and head coach Jim Tomsula can get Ahmad Brooks back to the form he produced in 2013.
Brooks, as I previously indicated, is a candidate to kick inside if need be. That could create more opportunities for Aaron Lynch, who was impressive in his rookie year, and a pass-rusher in Harold whom many believed had first-round talent.
The odd man out would appear to be former third-round pick Corey Lemonier. However, with Brooks perhaps helping out inside, it is tough to see the 49ers letting go of a player who showed more than a few flashes of promise in his first season before suffering a down year in 2014.
This is a young and exciting group that has the potential to substantially boost the 49ers' sack numbers after San Francisco totaled just 36 last term.
53-Man Roster: Smith, Brooks, Lynch, Harold, Lemonier
Cornerback
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Current Players: Tramaine Brock, Chris Cook, Dontae Johnson, Shareece Wright, Jimmie Ward, Keith Reaser, Kenneth Acker, Leon McFadden, Marcus Cromartie
Another position the 49ers were expected to address in the draft was the cornerback spot. However, it only takes a cursory glance at the roster to understand why Trent Baalke chose not to.
San Francisco, despite losing Chris Culliver and Perrish Cox, is well-stocked with promising young players at corner and will likely look for some of those guys to prove themselves in 2015. After an injury-hit 2014, Tramaine Brock will be expected to re-assume the starting role he earned with a breakout 2013 campaign.
The lengthy Dontae Johnson is arguably the favorite to be the other starting corner, although free-agent acquisition Shareece Wright, who can play outside and in the slot, could challenge him for that job. Each of those three is all but guaranteed to make the roster, along with nickelback Jimmie Ward. The conversation when it comes to a battle to make the team surrounds Keith Reaser, Chris Cook and Kenneth Acker.
It's no secret that the 49ers are looking to get bigger and faster on both sides of the ball as they try to regain superiority in one of the toughest divisions in football. The 6'2" Cook has the length that is valued among so many teams at corner these days, while Reaser has the 4.3 speed the secondary has long been lacking.
Acker, like Reaser, sat out his rookie year due to injury, and although he stood out in preseason prior to going down hurt, he does not have the athletic upside of Cook or Reaser and may find himself on the outside looking in.
53-Man Roster: Brock, Cook, Johnson, Wright, Ward, Reaser
Safety
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Current Players: Antoine Bethea, Eric Reid, Craig Dahl, L.J. McCray, Jaquiski Tartt
The 49ers' selection of safety Jaquiski Tartt raised eyebrows among some observers, but picking the former Samford Bulldog in the second round has given San Francisco depth at the position for the present and the future.
Tartt is a versatile player who can drop down in the box and match up in the slot, as well as play the deep safety role. His addition takes some of the strain off the likes of Dontae Johnson and Jimmie Ward, who are the other players best-suited to fill in for the starting duo of Antoine Bethea and Eric Reid.
But Tartt's arrival puts the writing on the wall for another safety in Craig Dahl, who has been a liability in coverage and is not valuable enough in special teams to keep around. The Niners have a younger and cheaper special teamer in L.J. McCray, who can fill Dahl's role and open up another roster spot at a different position.
Cutting Dahl would cost San Francisco $883,000 in dead money; however, with the depth at its disposal at safety, it is a no-brainer to let him go.
53-Man Roster: Bethea, Reid, Tartt, McCray
Special Teams
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Current Players: Phil Dawson, Andy Lee, Bradley Pinion, Kyle Nelson
The 49ers threw a curveball in the fifth round of the draft, putting punter Andy Lee on notice with the selection of Bradley Pinion out of Clemson.
Baalke, per Fucillo, indicated after the draft that it was Pinion's job to come in and take the starting punter position. Despite Pinion's strong leg, which he has also used to attempt long field goals and take kickoffs, it will be a big challenge for him to beat out Lee, who tied for the fourth-best punting average in the league last year at 46.8 yards per punt.
The one issue Lee does have is his cap number, which stands at $2.55 million in 2015; Pinion's is a lowly $435,000. Cutting Lee after June 1 would only cost the 49ers $500,000 in dead money, giving Pinion the advantage in a purely financial sense.
Even so, Lee has been a reliable punter for 11 seasons, and unless Pinion really impresses, it would seem to be a risky move to replace the three-time Pro Bowler with a rookie.
There is the possibility that the 49ers keep both Lee and Pinion with the latter serving as a big-leg specialist; however, at the sacrifice of depth in other areas, that would be a waste of a roster spot. If he clears waivers, I would expect the team to stash Pinion on the practice squad.
53-Man Roster: Dawson, Lee, Nelson
Salary-cap information courtesy of Over The Cap.
Nicholas McGee is a San Francisco 49ers Featured Columnist based in Leeds, England. Follow him on Twitter @nicholasmcgee24.
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