The NFL draft is over and the major free agency waves have subsided, which means it’s time to start ironing out what the San Francisco 49ers’ roster might look like after training camp.
Now, the team only just began Phase One of the offseason program. No draft picks have signed and we’ve yet to see any of the first-year players play a snap of NFL football. Nevertheless, we persist.
Here is our first shot at predicting the 49ers’ initial 53-man roster:
Quarterback (2)
Perhaps Kurtis Rourke sneaks in as a third QB on the 53-man roster. For now it’ll just be two with Rourke on the practice squad as the emergency signal caller.
Running back (3)
If one of James or Black can’t play special teams it could open the door for Patrick Taylor to earn a roster spot with James and Black battling it out for RB2 duties with the loser landing as a healthy scratch on game days. Isaac Guerendo looks to be the odd man out.
Fullback (1)
Duh.
Wide receiver (6)
This is a crowded room where back end of the roster spots will be at a premium. Jacob Cowing is the odd man out for now. He’ll need to stay healthy in training camp to have a chance.
Tight end (4)
We’re assuming for now that Kittle will be healthy enough to avoid starting the season on an injured list since it sounds like there’s hope he’ll be ready for the season opener. Dinkins is the first undrafted rookie to make it. He has an intriguing blend of size and athleticism, and we want to keep him around until it’s clear he’s not good enough.
Offensive line (10)
10 offensive linemen because who knows! Jones, Toth and Colby may all be battling for two roster spots. It’s also not a slam dunk that both draft picks make the 53-man roster. For now they’re both in.
Defensive line (9)
A semi-notable absence here is Sam Okuayinonu who’s been a nice project for the 49ers the last couple of seasons. He and Sample are likely battling for a roster spot since they fill similar roles. Kamara is our second UDFA to land a roster spot. He could be a fun player. Keep a close eye on him in camp.
Linebacker (6)
This group feels correct. Gifford’s spot may be up in the air if Dugger looks like he can play the Sam LB spot as a rookie.
Cornerback (5)
There are a handful of cornerbacks who could slide onto the back end of the roster. Veteran Jack Jones could certainly be there. So could second-year UDFA Jakob Robinson who had a nice rookie camp before suffering a season-ending broken forearm.
Safety (4)
The 49ers didn’t make any major investments at the position, so we won’t make any changes. Running it back with a group that wasn’t particularly effective a year ago is an interesting choice.
Specialists (3)
Waitman gets the nod for now, but he’ll be in a battle with undrafted punter Jack Bouwmeester come training camp.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Predicting 49ers full 53-man roster after NFL draft and free agency
Reporting by Kyle Madson, Niners Wire / Niners Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
