Add The California Post on Google Setting an NFL roster is never as simple as identifying the best 53 players, and the 49ers face some particularly complicated roster gymnastics ahead of Sunday’s cutdown deadline.
With multiple players injured and others eligible for the Physically Unable to Perform list, San Francisco must balance its immediate needs with preserving players it expects to help later as it prepares to open the season against the Rams in Australia.
Even after the initial decisions are made, the roster will remain a living, breathing document. It figures to change within the following couple of days as the 49ers monitor the waiver wire, consider outside additions and move injured players onto reserve lists. More adjustments will inevitably follow during the season as players recover, new injuries occur and positional needs become clearer.
The opening 53-man roster will not include several players the 49ers expect — or at least hope — to get back during the season. Running back Isaac Guerendo and defensive lineman Mykel Williams are projected to begin the year on the PUP list. Neither would count against the initial 53, and both would be eligible to return after missing the first four games.
Wide receiver Christian Kirk and cornerback Ephesians Prysock are projected to be placed on injured reserve with designations to return. NFL rules permit teams to use that designation on a maximum of two players during the final roster reduction, allowing San Francisco to preserve both without first carrying them on the 53. Like the players on PUP, Kirk and Prysock would be eligible to return after four games, although their actual timelines would depend on their recoveries.
Offensive lineman Brett Toth is also projected to begin the season on injured reserve, but without a return designation. With Guerendo and Williams on PUP, Kirk and Prysock designated for return from IR and Toth remaining on IR, none of the five would count against the opening roster. That leaves the 49ers with 53 active players while potentially creating room for four reinforcements as the season progresses.
Purdy is firmly established as the starter, with Jones providing an experienced and dependable backup. Rourke is worth developing as the third quarterback rather than risking losing him on waivers. Keeping three also gives the 49ers additional insurance at the game’s most important position.
Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, Jordan James, Kyle Juszczyk
Didn’t make the cut: Sincere McCormick, Khalil Herbert
With Guerendo beginning the season on PUP, Black and James make the team as the primary options behind McCaffrey. Juszczyk retains his unique role as a fullback and multipurpose offensive piece. The concern is the lack of proven depth behind McCaffrey, but Black and James give the 49ers younger, less expensive alternatives.
Mike Evans, De’Zhaun Stribling, Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins
Didn’t make the cut: Malik Turner, KhaDarel Hodge, Trenton Irwin, Will Pauling, Wesley Grimes
Evans and Samuel give the 49ers two proven, physical playmakers at the top of the position. Robinson supplies another experienced option, while Stribling, Cowing and Watkins offer developmental upside and a variety of complementary skills. Kirk’s expected return should eventually make the group deeper and more versatile.
Didn’t make the cut: Brayden Willis, Hayden Rucci, Josiah Deguara, Khalil Dinkins
Kittle remains the centerpiece of the position and one of the offense’s most important players. The question now is, will he be ready to go by the season opener against the Rams? Tonges offers familiarity and versatility, while Farrell’s blocking gives the 49ers a complement to their All-Pro starter. Keeping three makes sense given Juszczyk’s ability to line up in multiple roles.
Trent Williams, Carver Willis, Robert Jones, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Austen Pleasants, Drake Nugent, Enrique Cruz Jr., Vederian Lowe
Didn’t make the cut: Brandon Parker, Nick Zakelj, Connor Colby, Doug Kramer Jr., Isaac Alarcón
The 49ers go heavy on the offensive line, which makes sense given Williams’ age and the importance of protecting Purdy. The starting group contains experience, but several reserve roles remain unsettled, making versatility especially valuable. Nugent gives the club a developmental option behind Brendel, while Willis, Pleasants, Cruz and Lowe provide depth across the line.
Nick Bosa, Osa Odighizuwa, Keion White, Alfred Collins, C.J. West, Romello Height, Gracen Halton, Sam Okuayinonu, James Thompson Jr.
Didn’t make the cut: Bryson Eason, Sebastian Valdez, Quinton Bell, Viliami Fehoko, Jah Joyner, Evan Anderson, Ogbo Okoronkwo
Bosa remains the unquestioned centerpiece, but the 49ers have assembled considerable size and youth around him. Odighizuwa and White bring proven ability, while Collins and West give the interior significant upside. Mykel Williams’ absence temporarily weakens the edge rotation, making Height and Okuayinonu particularly important early in the season.
Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Jaden Dugger, Garret Wallow, Tatum Bethune, Nick Martin
Didn’t make the cut: Luke Gifford, Deion Jones, Larry Worth III, Jalen Graham
Warner and Greenlaw form the foundation of what could again be one of the NFL’s strongest linebacker units. Dugger adds another athletic option, while Wallow supplies experience and special teams value. Bethune and Martin earn spots as younger players who can continue developing while contributing on special teams.
Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Jack Jones, Nate Hobbs
Didn’t make the cut: Jakob Robinson, Darrell Luter Jr., Eli Apple
Lenoir, Green and Stout give the 49ers a young foundation, while Jones and Hobbs bring experience and positional flexibility. Prysock’s shoulder injury creates the logical mechanism for getting the roster to 53 without exposing a promising young cornerback to waivers. The immediate concern is outside depth, but the group could receive an early-season boost if Prysock recovers as hoped.
Ji’Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle, Malik Mustapha, Siran Neal
Didn’t make the cut: Ashtyn Davis, Patrick McMorris, Jalen Stroman
Brown, Sigle and Mustapha give the 49ers three young safeties capable of playing significant defensive snaps. Neal supplies veteran experience and substantial special teams value, which gives him the advantage over Davis and the younger contenders. Mustapha’s health remains important, but the group offers an appealing combination of physicality, range and developmental upside.
The 49ers opt for an experienced group of specialists. Piñeiro brings an established record of accuracy, Waitman supplies NFL punting experience and Weeks offers long-term dependability as a snapper. There might not be much developmental upside, but San Francisco is prioritizing stability and reliability in an area where mistakes can quickly decide games.
