The 49ers traded for a backup center and made all the other necessary roster moves Sunday to arrive at a starting point for the regular season.<\/p>\n
San Francisco settled on 53 players by the deadline<\/a>.<\/p>\n But they\u00a0are certainly not finished, as was foreshadowed with their roster gymnastics that left them with neither a punter nor a long snapper.<\/p>\n LS Jon Weeks AND P Corless Waitman were both released.<\/p>\n This appears to be something similar that they did last year with Thomas Morstead. They can be expected to re-sign them tomorrow and make room for them with a couple players being placed on IR\/designated for return.<\/p>\n \u2014 Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) August 30, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n The 49ers will bring back players at those spots as they piece together the group that boards the plane to Australia on Wednesday to face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1 on Thursday, Sept. 10.<\/p>\n Here is the breakdown of the 49ers’ initial 53-man roster:<\/p>\n Quarterback (3)<\/p>\n Brock Purdy<\/p>\n Mac Jones<\/p>\n Kurtis Rourke<\/p>\n Rourke showed enough before he sustained cracked ribs in the preseason opener<\/a>. The 49ers could not take the chance of losing Rourke to the NFL\u2019s waiver system because he appears to be in line to be the top backup to Purdy next season . . . assuming Jones signs elsewhere for a potential starting opportunity.<\/p>\n Running back (4)<\/p>\n Christian McCaffrey<\/p>\n Kyle Juszczyk<\/p>\n Kaelon Black<\/p>\n Jordan James<\/p>\n The 49ers usually keep five running backs, but they feel good about the four within this group. Black and James demonstrated that they are capable of giving McCaffrey more-frequent periods of rest this season.<\/p>\n The 49ers placed running back Isaac Guerendo on reserve\/physically unable to perform. He must miss at least the first four games of the season. Veteran Khalil Herbert was one of the 49ers\u2019 final cuts, and he could be brought back due to his value on special teams.<\/p>\n Wide receiver (6)<\/p>\n Mike Evans<\/p>\n Deebo Samuel<\/p>\n De\u2019Zhaun Stribling<\/p>\n Demarcus Robinson<\/p>\n Jordan Watkins<\/p>\n Jacob Cowing<\/p>\n Evans, Samuel and Stribling are clearly the 49ers\u2019 top three. Robinson will probably slot into the action as their fourth receiver.<\/p>\n Cowing earned his spot due to his experience fielding punts. He handled those chores in 2024 before sitting out all of last season with hamstring issues. Watkins won a spot with a solid camp.<\/p>\n Veteran Christian Kirk (calf) begins the season on injured reserve, so that gives him plenty of time to get healthy and, potentially, make an impact later in the season.<\/p>\n Tight end (4)<\/p>\n George Kittle<\/p>\n Luke Farrell<\/p>\n Jake Tonges<\/p>\n Brayden Willis<\/p>\n Kittle returned to practice last week, and he is expected to do more this week<\/a> before the 49ers depart. The big question is whether he will be on that flight to Melbourne. Kittle continues to make great progress from a torn Achilles tendon, which he sustained in January.<\/p>\n If Kittle does not play, Tonges would take over as the starter. Farrell is the blocking specialist. Willis, who sustained a concussion in the 49ers\u2019 final preseason game, earned a spot with a solid training camp.<\/p>\n Offensive line (9)<\/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 Vederian Lowe<\/p>\n Enrique Cruz<\/p>\n Jarrett Patterson<\/p>\n The 49ers swung a trade with the Houston Texans to acquire Patterson to serve as the backup center. The 49ers sent a 2027 seventh-round draft pick to Houston in exchange for Patterson.<\/p>\n Austen Pleasants (knee) was designated to return from injured reserve. Meanwhile, neither Brett Toth nor Nick Zakelj will be back. Both were placed on season-ending IR.<\/p>\n Lowe sustained a high-ankle sprain on the first day of camp. He should be ready to serve as the backup swing tackle early in the season. Cruz, a fifth-round pick who has all the measurables, is being groomed for the future.<\/p>\n Willis appears likely to open the season as the starting left guard. Colby made the team over veteran Robert Jones, who was released.<\/p>\n Defensive line (9)<\/p>\n Nick Bosa<\/p>\n Osa Odighizuwa\u00a0<\/p>\n Alfred Collins<\/p>\n Romello Height<\/p>\n Keion White<\/p>\n Sam Okuayinonu<\/p>\n CJ West<\/p>\n Gracen Halton<\/p>\n James Thompson Jr.<\/p>\n Thompson, an undrafted rookie from Illinois, won a spot at defensive tackle over Bryson Eason and Sebastian Valdez. Veteran Ogbo Okoronkwo also made a strong push and could be brought back.<\/p>\n Bosa\u2019s status for Week 1 is a little uncertain. He participated only in individual work when training camp opened. Bosa has been sidelined due to tendinitis in his surgically repaired knee.<\/p>\n Linebacker (7)<\/p>\n Fred Warner<\/p>\n Dre Greenlaw<\/p>\n Jaden Dugger<\/p>\n Tatum Bethune<\/p>\n Garret Wallow<\/p>\n Luke Gifford<\/p>\n Nick Martin<\/p>\n Dugger, a rookie, showed a lot of potential and could be in line for a significant role in the defense, along with Warner and Greenlaw.<\/p>\n Martin sustained a hamstring injury in the second preseason game, and it is likely he will go on injured reserve on Monday. He is expected to be back toward the middle of the season.<\/p>\n Wallow and Gifford figure to be core special-teams contributors.<\/p>\n