Perennial 53-Man Roster/Depth Chart Predictions Thread!

It's time! This is where we get to have some fun trying to predict who makes it out of all the new and old faces... Super early prediction, and I'll go ahead and start us off.

QB: Jimmy Garoppolo, Trey Lance, Nate Sudfield
RB: Raheem Mostert, Trey Sermon, Jeff Wilson, Elijah Mitchell
FB: Kyle Juzsczcyk (FB)
TE: George Kittle, Ross Dwelley, Charlie Woerner
XWR: Brandon Aiyuk, Travis Benjamin
YWR: Mahomed Sanu, Jalen Hurd
ZWR: Deebo Samuel, Austin Watkins
LT: Trent Williams
LG: Laken Tomlinson, Jaylen Moore
C: Alex Mack, Daniel Brunskill
RG: Aaron Banks, Colton McKivitz
RT: Mike McGlinchey

LDE: Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, Jordan Willis
NT: DJ Jones, Zach Kerr
3T: Javon Kinlaw, Maurice Hurst, Kevin Givens
RDE: Arik Armstead, Samson Ebukam
WILL: Dre Greenlaw
MIKE: Fred Warner, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
SAM: Azeez Al-Shaair, Justin Hilliard
LCB: Jason Verrett, Ambry Thomas
RCB: Emmanuel Moseley, Deommodore Lenoir
SLCB: K'Waun Williams, Dontae Johnson
FS: Jimmie Ward, Tarvarius Moore
SS: Jacquisski Tartt, Talanoa Hufanga

ST: Robbie Gould, Mitch Wishnowsky, Taybor Pepper

Depending on how Lance progresses, I don't see us keeping 3x QBs. Unless they view Rosen as a reclamation project.

- and I understand Sudfeld's guaranteed money situation

Originally posted by NinerBuff:
Depending on how Lance progresses, I don't see us keeping 3x QBs. Unless they view Rosen as a reclamation project.

- and I understand Sudfeld's guaranteed money situation

The Sudfeld GTD money is what he'd make if he's on the practice squad, which is a definite, since he doesn't have to go through waivers.

Projected 53-Man Roster:

QB(3): Jimmy Garoppolo(2022)/ Trey Lance(2024)/ Nate Sudfeld(2021)
RB(4): Raheem Mostert(2021)/ Jeff Wilson Jr.(2021)/ Wayne Gallman Jr.(2021)/ Trey Sermon(2024)
FB(1): Kyle Juszyzck(2025)
WR(6): Brandon Aiyuk(2023)/ Deebo Samuel(2022)/ Trent Sherfield(2021)/ Richie James Jr.(2021)/ Jalen Hurd(2021)/ Mohamed Sanu Sr.(2021)
TE(3): George Kittle(2025)/ Ross Dwelley(2021)/ Charlie Woerner(2023)
C(2): Alex Mack(2023)/ Daniel Brunskill(2021)
OG(3): Laken Tomlinson(2021)/ Aaron Banks(2024)/ Colton McKivitz(2023)
OT(3): Trent Williams(2026)/ Mike McGlinchey(2022)/ Jaylon Moore(2024)
DE(5): Arik Armstead(2024)/ Nick Bosa(2022)/ Samson Ebukam(2022)/ Arden Key(2021)/ Jordan Willis(2021)/ Dee Ford(2022)*
DT(3): Javon Kinlaw(2023)/ Kevin Givens(2021)/ Maurice Hurst Jr.(2021)
NT(2): D.J. Jones(2021)/ Zach Kerr(2021)
LB(5): Fred Warner(2021)/ Dre Greenlaw(2022)/ Azeez Al-Shaair(2021)/ Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(2021)/ Nathan Gerry(2021)
CB(5): Jason Verrett(2021)/ Emmanuel Moseley(2022)/ K'Waun Williams(2021)/ Ambry Thomas(2024)/ Deommodore Lenoir(2024)
S(5): Jimmie Ward(2022)/ Jaquiski Tartt(2021)/ Tarvarius Moore(2021)/ Marcell Harris(2021)/ Talanoa Hufanga(2024)
ST(3): Robbie Gould(2022)/ Mitch Wishnowsky(2022)/ Taybor Pepper(2022)

Ford begins the season on either PUP or Short Term IR if the NFL keeps the 2020 rule around permanently.

I have to see the teams UDFAs, but for now I'm down to either 4 RBs & 6 WRs or 5 RBs & 5 WRs, with Elijah Mitchell on the 53, especially if he performs well, and Kyle doesn't want to lose him, or they keep a 6th WR.

With these 54 players I have, they account for $170,662,361, while the 49ers would have $14,442,749 in dead money, they're practice squad will cost at the maximum $3.168M, for a total of $188,319,004, leaving the team $7,827,018 under their adjusted cap, which is $196,146,022

My key battles would be as follows.

3rd QB between Nate Sudfeld & Josh Rosen, both make $850K, but cutting Sudfeld leaves $252K in dead money, which is the amount he'd make on the practice squad, if he chose to sign with the 49ers practice squad, that's if Rosen beats out Sudfeld.

As I said above, I'm torn on RB Elijah Mitchell or WR Mohamed Sanu Sr. Mitchell would leave $45,894 in dead money for 2021, $137,682 in 2022, & Sanu would leave $25K in dead money in 2021. The savings between Mitchell & Sanu is a $169,106 savings, which would increase the teams cap room to $7,996,124.

The other camp battles will likely be along the OL, LB, and DB.

The 49ers should, and will extend Fred Warner this offseason, which should take away around $3M if he's given a $15M signing bonus, which would leave the team with between $4,167,018 to $4,996,124, they do have options for gaining more cap room, via restructures, they can save $4.528M by restructuring Armstead's deal, they can save up to $5.86M by restructuring Ward's deal, but that would virtually guarantee Ward is a 49ers in 2022.

Lastly they could either extend or restructure Laken Tomlinson's contract, they'd save up to $2.808M, if they just restructured his contract, they'd have a higher dead money for him in 2022 than his already $1,005,530, if the redo was for 4 more voidable years, they'd be left with a total of $2.808M more, something the 49ers simply shouldn't think about doing.

More on Ward, if they redid his deal, that would add on up to $5.86M to Ward's dead money in 2023, which is $2M, as his deal has a voidable year in it. They would actually save money in 2022 if they did cut Ward, it would either be $7.5M Pre June 1 or just $1.64M if they redid his deal.

As for Armstead, they would either save $3.5M in 2022 with a Pre June 1 cut, or they'd lose $1.028M if they redid his deal this year. Now I don't actually see the 49ers releasing Armstead, so this would be the most sensible one to me.

And yes we can't forget Jimmy Garoppolo, but there is no way he'll take a pay cut, nor should the 49ers redo his deal, if they did, they'd save max $18.42M, but in 2022 they would save $25.6M by cutting or trading him, or it would end up being just $8.58M, so I don't see that happening.

Last thing, I'm intrigued by keeping Mitchell over Sanu, especially if he plays very well in the offseason, so I would consider keeping 5 RBs & 5 WRs, and using Mitchell in the slot, like Curtis Samuel esque.

OTC you missing Hurst man?! He making it for sure

So no Juan Jennings?

Originally posted by 49ers808:
OTC you missing Hurst man?! He making it for sure

I think he makes it for sure, especially if Givens ends up being charged, then he's a goner.

Also Marcell Harris should make the team, he has a good amount of GTD money.

Originally posted by 5xChamp:
So no Juan Jennings?

I'd put him on the practice squad for another year, unless he completely wows in the preseason.

Good work, Clock.

Maybe this is he year we go with 2 QB and free up one roster spot. Situation with CJ and Nick Mullens was weird as they couldn't be stashed on to practice squad.

Whats the rules for P.S. This year?? same as last?? and Hasty is he out @Rb

Originally posted by sanjo49er:
Whats the rules for P.S. This year?? same as last?? and Hasty is he out @Rb

Hasty is out, Bubba.

Originally posted by sanjo49er:
Whats the rules for P.S. This year?? same as last?? and Hasty is he out @Rb

idk the rules on the practice squad, last year it was supposed to from 10 players to 12 players, but due to COVID they changed it to 16, it was supposed go from 12 to 14 for 2021, I say just make it 16, you can keep 10 players with 2 or less accrued years, and 6 players with 3+ yrs accrued.

Originally posted by mayo49:

Originally posted by sanjo49er:
Whats the rules for P.S. This year?? same as last?? and Hasty is he out @Rb

Hasty is out, Bubba.

Yeah, Hasty is likely cut, hopefully onto the practice squad, cause we have 3 backs unsigned after 2021, I don't see Mostert back, the Sermon pick I think makes Mostert expendable next season(2022), I think they try and keep Jeff Wilson Jr., Wayne Gallman Jr. wise, if he does make it, it's an easy re-sign.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:

Originally posted by 49ers808:

OTC you missing Hurst man?! He making it for sure

I think he makes it for sure, especially if Givens ends up being charged, then he's a goner.

Also Marcell Harris should make the team, he has a good amount of GTD money.

I am 50-50 on Harris, but yeah I put Hurst on. Took out Coleman. Brunskill, McKivitz, and Moore can all play both OT and OG and Coleman hasn't played in two years. Feel like it'll be tough for him to beat them out.