{"id":447747,"date":"2026-08-30T03:45:36","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T03:45:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/447747\/"},"modified":"2026-08-30T03:45:36","modified_gmt":"2026-08-30T03:45:36","slug":"49ers-53-man-roster-projection-offensive-line-still-work-in-progress-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/447747\/","title":{"rendered":"49ers’ 53-man roster projection: Offensive line still work in progress"},"content":{"rendered":"

SANTA CLARA \u2013 Neither the preseason nor training camp did much to rattle the 49ers<\/a>\u2019 playoff-caliber depth chart.<\/p>\n

Well, a veteran-laden offense was spiced up by rookie wide receiver De\u2019Zhaun Stribling<\/a>, helping offset Ricky Pearsall\u2019s exit<\/a> to season-ending knee surgery.<\/p>\n

Defensively, first-year coordinator Raheem Morris<\/a> is still waiting for Nick Bosa<\/a> to fully launch a comeback from ACL repair, and ditto for fellow defensive end Mykel Williams. The past month has been more about sifting through options that will swirl around the defense\u2019s epicenter of linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw.<\/p>\n

As for special teams, well, when Eddy Pi\u00f1eiro is banging 59-yard field goals through the uprights, pleasant memories rush back of his 2025 arrival, and they foolishly block out concerns over who\u2019ll return punts and kicks for the 49ers.<\/p>\n

Here is a crack at the initial 53-man roster, due in by Sunday at 1 p.m. PT:<\/p>\n

QUARTERBACKS (3)<\/p>\n

Brock Purdy<\/p>\n

Mac Jones<\/p>\n

Kurtis Rourke<\/p>\n

Why: Purdy and Jones are the NFL\u2019s best QB tandem, and Rourke was too good in his debut to waive him (with three fractured ribs).<\/p>\n

RUNNING BACK (4)<\/p>\n

Christian McCaffrey<\/p>\n

Kyle Juszczyk<\/p>\n

Kaelon Black<\/p>\n

Jordan James<\/p>\n

Why: McCaffrey\u2019s mid-camp hiatus has him fresh, and same with Juszczyk, who fractured a finger early in camp. Black and James provide youthful burst behind them. Sincere McCormick or Khalil Herbert were solid. Isaac Guerendo is stashed on the Physically Unable to Perform list.<\/p>\n

WIDE RECEIVER (6)<\/p>\n

Mike Evans<\/p>\n

Deebo Samuel<\/p>\n

De\u2019Zhaun Stribling<\/p>\n

Christian Kirk<\/p>\n

Jacob Cowing<\/p>\n

Demarcus Robinson<\/p>\n

Why: Injury concerns could prompt the 49ers to carry another, and while Jordan Watkins got the most reps to win that spot, don\u2019t rule out Will Pauling or even Trenton Irwin.<\/p>\n

TIGHT END (3)<\/p>\n

George Kittle<\/p>\n

Jake Tonges<\/p>\n

Luke Farrell<\/p>\n

Why: KittleWatch is underway regarding his Week 1 potential, after getting activated off PUP on Sunday. Brayden Willis is in the concussion protocol so that could slide him onto Injured Reserve. Hayden Rucci may need to be on-call.<\/p>\n

OFFENSIVE LINE (10)<\/p>\n

Trent Williams<\/p>\n

Jake Brendel<\/p>\n

Dominick Puni<\/p>\n

Colton McKivitz<\/p>\n

Carver Willis<\/p>\n

Connor Colby<\/p>\n

Enrique Cruz Jr.<\/p>\n

Brett Toth<\/p>\n

Robert Jones<\/p>\n

Austen Pleasants<\/p>\n

*Vederian Lowe (short-term IR)<\/p>\n

Why: Lowe hasn\u2019t practiced since a high-ankle injury on Day 1 of camp, so he\u2019s the more likely tackle to be designated for short-term Injured Reserve, although Austen Pleasants\u2019 knee injury last Thursday also casts doubt on his availability.<\/p>\n

DEFENSIVE LINE (9)<\/p>\n

Nick Bosa<\/p>\n

Mykel Williams<\/p>\n

Keion White<\/p>\n

Osa Odighizuwa<\/p>\n

Gracen Halton<\/p>\n

Alfred Collins<\/p>\n

C.J. West<\/p>\n

Romello Height<\/p>\n

James Thompson<\/p>\n

Why: Bosa better be ready by Week 1 or the 49ers are in deep trouble with their shallow pool of pass rushers. Eight defensive ends were signed since camp opened. Time to add another, if available via trade or a free agency gift.<\/p>\n

LINEBACKER (6)<\/p>\n

Fred Warner<\/p>\n

Dre Greenlaw<\/p>\n

Tatum Bethune<\/p>\n

Nick Martin<\/p>\n

Luke Gifford<\/p>\n

Jaden Dugger<\/p>\n

Why: Not sure they should keep Luke Gifford over Garrett Wallow or Jalen Graham. Wallow was a late-season addition last year who is battling back spasms and might be ideal for the practice squad.<\/p>\n

CORNERBACK (6)<\/p>\n

Deommodore Lenoir<\/p>\n

Renardo Green<\/p>\n

Upton Stout<\/p>\n

Jack Jones<\/p>\n

Ephesians Prysock<\/p>\n

Darrell Luter Jr.<\/p>\n

Why: Prysock sustained a shoulder sprain Thursday night, and the starting cornerbacks are not at full health, so Luter remains on scholarship.<\/p>\n

SAFETY (3)<\/p>\n

Ji\u2019Ayir Brown<\/p>\n

Marques Sigle<\/p>\n

Malik Mustapha<\/p>\n

Why: Mustapha\u2019s early-camp hamstring injury shouldn\u2019t shelve him much longer. Siran Neal\u2019s special teams availability could command him a roster spot.<\/p>\n

SPECIALISTS (3)<\/p>\n

Jon Weeks (LS)<\/p>\n

Corliss Waitman (P)<\/p>\n

Eddy Pi\u00f1eiro (K)<\/p>\n

Why: Pi\u00f1eiro\u2019s 6-for-6 preseason finish, including a 59-yard field goal, has the 49ers in a much happier place than a year ago when they gave Jake Moody a short leash.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"SANTA CLARA \u2013 Neither the preseason nor training camp did much to rattle the 49ers\u2019 playoff-caliber depth chart.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":447748,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[13734,184,7,949,402,181,752,177169,182,101,296,103,102,197,198,104,106,105,200,127],"class_list":["post-447747","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-francisco","tag-49ers-hq","tag-bay-area","tag-california","tag-football","tag-inside-sports","tag-latest-headlines","tag-nfl","tag-nfl-preseason","tag-pm-report","tag-san-francisco","tag-san-francisco-49ers","tag-san-francisco-headlines","tag-san-francisco-news","tag-santa-clara","tag-santa-clara-county","tag-sf","tag-sf-headlines","tag-sf-news","tag-south-bay","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/447747","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=447747"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/447747\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/447748"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=447747"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=447747"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=447747"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}