We can be honest here: The 49ers’ preseason has been a slog.
All the off-the-field drama with Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams? It’s leaked onto the field. Why go full speed when you don’t have a full squad? And this team is so injured this August that they’re canceling joint practices — Kyle Shanahan’s favorite (and perhaps only) part of the preseason.
The vibes, as the kids would say, are bad.
Luckily for the 49ers, there’s plenty of time before the start of the season. Four weeks to the day, in fact. Is that enough time to ramp up? We’ll find out.
But as of Monday, here’s who I expect to make the team’s 53-man roster.
Quarterback (3)
Brock Purdy, Brandon Allen, Josh Dobbs
» The Niners wish they could combine the arm of Allen and the playmaking ability of Dobbs into one quarterback — a Josh Allen, if you will.
Out: Tanner Mordecai
Fullback (1)
Kyle Juszczyk
Seeing as he’s the only one on the roster… (I liked what I saw from tight end Brayden Willis at FB in the first preseason game, though.)
Running Back (4)
Christian McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell, J.P. Mason, Cody Schrader, Isaac Guerendo (IR – designated)
The top three are undisputed. Given the injuries to the top two — and the history of injuries for both — the Niners cannot risk losing Schrader, who has been impressive in camp and was the SEC’s best running back last season (M-I-Z, baby). The NFL has a new rule allowing players to be designated for return from the injured reserve on cut-down day. I’d expect the Niners to make that distinction with Guerendo, who will need time to catch up to the NFL game after missing so much of camp with a hamstring injury.
Out: Matt Breida, Ke’Shawn Vaughn, Patrick Taylor
Any of the three are good veteran practice squad candidates. Not one has beat out Schrader.
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Wide Receiver (6)
Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Jacob Cowing, Chris Conley
Out: Trent Taylor, Ronnie Bell, Tay Martin, Jontre Kirkland, Frank Darby
The Niners will want to keep Taylor, but Conley has guaranteed money on his contract and Taylor does not, making the latter easier to move to the practice squad and call up on game days.
Tight End (3)
George Kittle, Brayden Willis, Eric Saubert
Out: Cam Latu, Jake Tonges, Mason Pline
Not even up for debate. Tonges, not Latu, is the next man up if someone goes down.
Offensive Line (10)
Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Jaylon Moore, Spencer Burford, Nick Zakelj, Jarrett Kingston
Out: Drake Nugent, Chris Hubbard, Brandon Parker, Jon Feliciano, Sebastian Gutierrez, Lewis Kidd, Isaac Alarcon
When your No. 10 is almost indiscernible from your No. 6, you have to keep all 10.
I suspect the Niners will want to keep Feliciano over Zakelj, but as of publishing, the former hasn’t practiced enough to justify the spot. This is the camp battle the nation will be watching in the final weeks.
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Defensive Line (9)
Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, Leonard Floyd, Yetur Gross-Matos, Kalia Davis, Kevin Givens, Jordan Elliott, Robert Beal
Out: T.Y. McGill, Alex Barrett, Shakel Brown, Evan Anderson, Jonathan Garvin, Sam Okuayinonu, Drake Jackson (PUP)
Outside of Bosa and either Hargrave or Collins (only one of the two will perform this season, I suspect), this D-line is tough to justify as Super Bowl-worthy. Its depth is Yetur Gross-Matos — emphasis on Gross.
Linebacker (5)
Fred Warner, De’Vondre Campbell, Jalen Graham, Dee Winters, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Out: Ezekiel Turner, Curtis Robinson, Tatum Bethune
If Flannigan-Fowles can get back on the field and practice, he’ll make the roster — they know him and trust him. Otherwise, Ezekiel Turner or even Tatum Bethune could slide into that No. 5 slot. I haven’t seen much from Bethune in camp, but I’ve heard some positive buzz about him lately. I’ll keep an eye out.
Cornerback (6)
Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Isaac Yiadom, Renardo Green, Rock Ya-Sin, Darrell Luter Jr.
Ambry Thomas (IR – designated)
Out: Chase Lucas, Samuel Womack
The Niners have a legitimate surplus to needs here. Luter, Ya-Sin, Lucas, and Womack will all fight to the end for two spots. As it stands today, Ya-Sin and Luter are well ahead.
Safety (3)
Ji’Ayir Brown, George Odum, Malik Mustapha, Talanoa Hufanga (PUP)
Out: Tracy Walker, Jalen Mahoney, Tayler Hawkins
The Niners will probably keep Walker around as a game-day practice-squad call-up. The move back to Cover 3 helps the Niners
Special Teams (3)
Jake Moody, Mitch Wishnowsky, Taybor Pepper
Out: Pressley Harvin
Harvin was awesome in the Niners’ preseason opener, but Wishnowsky’s knee injury isn’t currently expected to keep him out of the regular season.
