The San Francisco 49ers are through two weeks of the preseason and we’re starting to get a grasp on what their 53-man roster will look like.
Our projection after the first preseason game got a couple of shakeups during the second week of the preseason with some surprising new cuts, a couple of injuries, and some reworking of the numbers at a couple positions.
Here’s our 53-man roster projection heading into the 49ers’ final week of the 2026 preseason schedule:
Quarterback (3)
Changes: Nothing new here. The 49ers likely won’t want to risk losing Rourke on waivers. There are other places on the roster they can cut back on numbers to make additions elsewhere.
Running back (3)
PUP: RB Isaac Guerendo
Changes: We had Patrick Taylor Jr. as the fourth RB, but he went on season-ending IR. The 49ers should be able to release and re-sign a running back or two to their practice squad to come up on gamedays if they need to add someone at that spot. With needs elsewhere on the roster, they free up space by keeping just three halfbacks instead of four.
Fullback (1)
Changes: Nope.
Wide receiver (6)
Changes: Cowing’s punt return touchdown against the Chargers was enough to make him the sixth WR on the roster. Our last projection had only five. San Francisco needs a player who can at least catch punts. Cowing does that and showed off his explosiveness in the return game with his 83-yard TD on Thursday night. Watkins is a player to keep an eye on. The second-year WR was one of the options to return punts, but if Cowing nailed that job down, it makes it tougher for Watkins to grab hold of a role. Dropping an RB opened the door for us to keep six WRs.
Tight end (4)
Changes: No TE changes. Willis is having a nice preseason.
Offensive line (10)
Changes: We added a 10th offensive lineman and worked under the assumption the 49ers make a trade for an OL or pick one up after final cuts. The room to add one more came from losing a running back. It looked like we might need to put Austen Pleasants into the fold here when he made his way into the starting left guard battle. He suffered a knee injury against the Chargers, however, leaving his 2026 season in question. We haven’t received an update on his status since head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters after Thursday’s game that the team needed to do more imaging on Pleasants’ knee. After the starters (Williams, McKivitz, Brendel and Puni), no O-lineman is a lock to make the team.
Defensive line (9)
Pup list: DE Mykel Williams
Changes: We’re leaving this group untouched for now. Undrafted rookie D-lineman Bryson Eason is having a nice preseason and making it difficult to leave him off a 53-man projection. Perhaps the 49ers do something shocking like let go of Collins or West in favor of Eason. That would be a pretty significant move that we’re not ready to make just yet.
Linebacker (5)
Changes: One change here is the surprise cut of second-year LB Nick Martin, who has been playing deep into preseason games. Bethune is another LB who’s been playing late into the exhibition contests who the team could look into letting go. The former seventh-round pick has some experience as a starter and is a regular special teams contributor which gives him the edge over Martin. The addition at OL forced us to trim the roster elsewhere and this was where we found the room to create a roster spot.
Cornerback (5)
Changes: The cornerback group stays locked in for now. Renardo Green’s hamstring injury could play a role in the CB room depending on the severity of the ailment he sustained early in Week 2 of the preseason. If he’s going to miss regular season time it opens the door for another CB to make the initial 53-man roster. Darrell Luter has been a special teams mainstay the last three years and could once again make his way onto the back of the roster. Eli Apple is another option who could be released, re-signed to the practice squad, then elevated for game days. Also, a tip of the cap to Jakob Robinson who had some flashes as an undrafted rookie last season before breaking his forearm. This season he has flashed again in both preseason games. Robinson probably isn’t going to make the team, but he’s a player who should stick around on the practice squad.
Safety (4)
Changes: We don’t have any changes, but we do have a note. Neal has played in both preseason games with 18 special teams snaps. He’s yet to log a defensive snap. Neal may just be so locked in on his special teams role that the team isn’t going to risk him getting hurt playing defense in the preseason. There may also be a search from the 49ers to find a replacement for him which is where a player like Ashtyn Davis (60 snaps) could find his way into the mix here. For now, Neal stays.
Specialists (3)
Changes: None here. Waitman is awesome.
More 49ers: Impressive 49ers rookie describes mindset after win vs. Chargers
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Predicting 49ers final roster after 2 preseason games
Reporting by Kyle Madson, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Kyle Madson, Niners Wire | USA TODAY Network
