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Two writers for The Athletic, Matt Barrows and David Lombardi, recently took a shot at predicting the San Francisco 49ers' 53-man roster. That's not an easy task, given the unusual circumstances surrounding the offseason. NFL players haven't even practiced together in an official capacity. Although, that will happen soon,
thanks to a recent agreement between the league and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA).
Training camps will begin next week, once players undergo two separate COVID-19 tests. The first couple of weeks will focus on strength and conditioning and walk-throughs. Players will finally put on helmets on the 18th day and then pads on the 20th.
There will be zero preseason games. That means on-field evaluations will be based solely on training camp practices.
You can understand why all of these factors, plus any that may be unforeseen, can make things challenging to predict. Barrows and Lombardi attempted to do so anyway, going position-by-position and listing the names of
players they feel will make the final cut.
There were some similarities and a few notable differences in the exercise. For example, Barrows had the 49ers carrying four running backs, including fullback
Kyle Juszczyk, into the season while Lombardi listed five, including Juszczyk.
Another factor is the potential for COVID-19 to impact the roster, forcing the 49ers to consider carrying more players at one position than they normally would or choosing versatility over other attributes, as Barrows had the team doing by choosing Derrick Kindred over Marcell Harris. The former can play both safety positions while Lombardi went with the latter.
Then you have the wide receivers group, where the competition will be fierce. Behind
Deebo Samuel, Kendrick Bourne, and first-round pick
Brandon Aiyuk, there sits inexperience or uncertainty. Yes, Aiyuk is inexperienced too but figures to be a significant part of the offense in his first year.
Barrows called the receivers the toughest position group to predict, especially with Samuel possibly missing the start of the season.
Samuel, by the way,
insists he will be ready.
The receivers being the toughest position group to predict made it even more interesting that both Barrows and Lombardi landed on the same seven players. They, of course, include Samuel, Aiyuk, and Bourne. After that, both writers list
Trent Taylor, Jalen Hurd, Dante Pettis, and
Jauan Jennings.
Many consider the last two to be on the bubble—players who have just as good a chance of not making the roster as making it. In fact, some would say that the rookie, Jennings, might have more of an opportunity than Pettis, who was inactive for three games last season, including the Super Bowl, and didn't catch a pass after Week 9.
"Pettis obviously has skills that Shanahan covets and he should have something to prove after being a healthy scratch in the Super Bowl," wrote Barrows.
Jennings is one of the 49ers' five draft picks but wasn't selected until the seventh round.
"I think Jennings makes the roster, simply because his size makes him so physically ready to perform in an NFL featuring downsizing defenses," wrote Lombardi. "Post-Super Bowl run, Shanahan and the 49ers have some cachet, so the league certainly noticed when they drafted Jennings in the seventh round."
Click here to read Barrows' and Lombardi's entire feature over at The Athletic.
Despite initial reports, two draft prospects who were set to visit the San Francisco 49ers ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft ultimately did not meet with the team. Matt Barrows of The Athletic revealed that former USC wide receiver Brenden Rice and former Oregon safety Jamal Hill didn't end up visiting the Bay Area organization.
Barrows wrote, "Meanwhile, a report in March indicated that USC receiver Brenden Rice, the son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice, would visit the 49ers, but he didn't end up coming, according to two league sources."
Justin Melo of The Draft Network first
Amidst swirling trade rumors surrounding Brandon Aiyuk, the speculation surrounding Deebo Samuel's future with the San Francisco 49ers seems to have quieted down.
According to Michael Silver of the San Francisco Chronicle, the 49ers have assured Samuel that he will not be involved in any pre- or post-draft transactions, ensuring his place on the roster for the time being.
"Samuel, who signed a three-year, $71.55 million extension before the 2022 season, has been assured by his bosses that he will not be dealt during or after the draft," Silver reported, citing a source familiar with the discussions.
Earlier in the
We're just over 24 hours before round one of the NFL Draft begins. The San Francisco 49ers are scheduled to have their first pick in the opening round since 2021 when they drafted Trey Lance. That didn't turn out well, but there is optimism that the team will be able to make its roster better over the next few days.
GM John Lynch spoke on Monday and said there's a possibility the team could trade out of the first round. I doubt that would go over well with the fanbase, especially since they haven't had a first-rounder in the past two years. But if it's a good trade that lands the 49ers some quality picks, we could see that happen, especially if there aren't any players at pick 31 that the team is excited about.
We opened up the 49ers Webzone Mailbag to see what
The San Francisco 49ers announced the signing of wide receiver Trent Taylor to a one-year deal, reuniting with the team's former fifth-round draft pick out of Louisiana Tech.
Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area was the first to report that the 49ers were discussing a potential reunion with Taylor. The receiver was part of head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch's first draft class in 2017 and spent his first four NFL seasons with the team.
The #49ers are talking with free-agent slot receiver/return man
