2026 Final-53: Early Predictions & Depth Chart Discussion

Here's my way way too early projection.

QB(3): 13 Brock Purdy(2030)/ 10 Mac Jones(2026)/ 14 Kurtis Rourke(2028)
RB(4): 23 Christian McCaffrey(2027)/ 29 Jordan James(2028)/ -- Kaelon Black(2029)/ 31 Isaac Guerendo(2027)
FB(1): 44 Kyle Juszyczk(2026)
WR(6): 5 Mike Evans(2028)/ 1 Ricky Pearsall(2027)/ 3 Christian Kirk(2026)/ 7 Demarcus Robinson(2026)/ -- De'Zhaun Stribling(2029)/ 17 Jordan Watkins(2028)
TE(3): 85 George Kittle(2029)/ 88 Jake Tonges(2027)/ 89 Luke Farrell(2027)
C(2): 64 Jake Brendel(2026)/ 74 Brett Toth(2026)
LG(2): 65 Robert Jones(2026)/ -- Carver Willis(2029)
RG(2): 77 Dominick Puni(2027)/ 75 Connor Colby(2028)
LT(2): 71 Trent Williams(2028)/ 76 Vederian Lowe(2027)
RT(1): 68 Colton McKivitz(2028)
DE(5): 97 Nick Bosa(2028)/ 98 Mykel Williams(2028)/ 91 Sam Okuyainonu(2026)/ 56 Keion White(2026)/ -- Romello Height(2029)
DT(2): 92 Osa Odighizuwa(2028)/ -- Gracen Halton(2029)
NT(2): 95 Alfred Collins(2028)/ 99 C.J. West(2028)
WLB(2): 57 Dre Greenlaw(2026)/ 45 Nick Martin(2028)
MLB(2): 54 Fred Warner(2029)/ 48 Tatum Bethune(2027)
SLB(2): 51 Luke Gifford(2027)/ -- Jaden Dugger(2029)
CB(5): 2 Deommodore Lenoir(2029)/ 0 Renardo Green(2027)/ 20 Upton Stout(2028)/ 22 Nate Hobbs(2026)/ -- Ephesians Prysock(2029)
FS(2): 27 Ji'Ayir Brown(2026)/ 33 Siran Neal(2026)
SS(2): 6 Malik Mustapha(2027)/ 36 Marques Sigle(2028)
PK(1): 18 Eddy Pineiro(2029)
P(1): 7 Corliss Waitman(2026)
LS(1): 46 Jon Weeks(2026)

PRACTICE SQUAD:

RB 32 Patrick Taylor Jr.*
WR -- Will Pauling
WR -- Wesley Grimes
WR 19 Jacob Cowing
TE -- Khalil Dinkins
C 63 Nick Zakelj*
RT 60 Brandon Parker*
RT -- Enrique Cruz Jr.
RT 67 Isaac Alarcon**
DE 96 Cameron Sample*
DE -- Mikail Kamara
DT 55 Sebastian Valdez
NT -- Bryson Eason
MLB 49 Garret Wallow*
CB 24 Jack Jones*
CB 43 Jakob Robinson
FS -- Jalen Stroman

With this roster the 49ers would have 70 players signed, accounting for $304,346,582, leaving them $35,822,942 under their $341,169,524 adjusted salary cap, but that's before knowing Trent Williams' extension terms, which could have saved the team as much as $26.51M, which could give the 49ers as much as $62,332,942 in cap room heading into 2026, which they'd most certainly carryover at least $50M of it into 2027, where they'd have 37 players signed, accounting for $333,222,602, and they'd be $3,222,602 over a $330M cap, which doesn't include Trent, but his cap number should be near what his dead money would have been in 2027, but that's before any carryover, so in reality if they were to carryover $50M they'd have close to $47M in cap room for 2027, with the following FAs.

UFA:

QB Mac Jones
FB Kyle Juzcyzk
WR Christian Kirk
WR Demarcus Robinson
C Jake Brendel
C Brett Toth
LG Robert Jones
DE Sam Okuayinonu
DE Keion White
WLB Dre Greenlaw
CB Nate Hobbs
FS Ji'Ayir Brown
DB Siran Neal
P Corliss Waitman
LS Jon Weeks

I'd still hope that they'd add a veteran EDGE & FS.

I feel like Jack Jones is definitely better than Prysock

I also am hoping both Cowing and Watkins show enough to push Robinson off the roster

Originally posted by 91til:
I feel like Jack Jones is definitely better than Prysock

Idk, Jones didn't get anything GTD, while he may make it, I think Prysock has way more upside and is signed thru 2029.

Originally posted by AB81Rules:

Originally posted by 91til:
I feel like Jack Jones is definitely better than Prysock

Idk, Jones didn't get anything GTD, while he may make it, I think Prysock has way more upside and is signed thru 2029.

im a huge Prysock fan his length and fluidity is pretty impressive and he has a great press technique. Also has great zone instincts i think he is would fit well in our zone heavy scheme.

I dont know much about Jack Jones though but he wasnt exactly a prized FA. i like Prysock as the first CB off the bench to play outside.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
(3) QB: Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Kurtis Rourke

(4) RB: CMC, Jordan James, Kaelon Black*, Juice (Notes: Guerendo traded/cut, Taylor cut and put on PS)

(3) TE: Kittle, Tonges, Farrell (dude blows but they didn't get anyone to challenge him)

(6) WR: Mike Evans, Ricky Pearsall, De'Zhaun Stribling*, Christian Kirk, Jacob Cowing, Demarcus Robinson (fans scream after Watkins gets cut and put on PS - he only makes it if Cowing gets hurt again)

(4) OT: Trent, Lowe, McKivitz, Cruz* (Foerester won't let them cut him, he was hand-picked by this guy)

(6) IOL: Robert Jones, Carver Willis*, Jake Brendel, Brett Toth, Connor Colby, Dominick Puni (Zakelj ends up on PS again unless there's an injury)

(5) DE: Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Romello Height*, Keion White, Sam Okuayinonu

(5) DT: Alfred Collins, CJ West, Osa Odighizuwa, Gracen Halton*, Bryson Eason*

(5) LB: Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Gifford, Martin, Dugger* (I think Bethune gets traded, Wallow to PS)

(5) CB: Demo Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Nate Hobbs, Prysock (Jakob Robinson, 49ers hold on for dear life hoping he makes it to the PS)

(4) S: Jayir Brown (), Marques Sigle, Malik Mustapha, Siran Neal

(3) ST: Pineiro, Waltman, Weeks

Can't see them only keeping three RBs given CMC's age and the number of injuries they've had there over the years. Also, not sure why they would keep Cowing over Watkins. At least Watkins has gotten on the field and made some plays, even if it was just in preseason, I don't remember seeing Cowing even doing that much in two years. I'm also rooting for Dinkins to replace Farrell. Loved the highlight reel that showed him just planting guys into the turf.

The big competition will be along the DL. I think we'll probably end up losing guys there that I would like to see more of, like Valdez. I'll also be rooting Wallow. at LB. I know that they like Gibson on Special Teams and just gave him some more money, but the guy sucks at playing LB. I can't recall seeing a single game highlight from him all season, where Wallow had several during his short tenure as a starter.

I'm hoping Kurtis Rourk beats out Mac Jones for the number 2 QB, and Mac Jones is traded right before the Trading Window ends -- to a QB desperate team that give the 49ers a kings ransom in draft picks. Trading deadline ends somewhere in late October/early November I think. That would be my dream scenario.

More Realistically, I hope Kurtis makes the 53 roster as QB 3.

Originally posted by Giedi:

I'm hoping Kurtis Rourk beats out Mac Jones for the number 2 QB, and Mac Jones is traded right before the Trading Window ends -- to a QB desperate team that give the 49ers a kings ransom in draft picks. Trading deadline ends somewhere in late October/early November I think. That would be my dream scenario.

More Realistically, I hope Kurtis makes the 53 roster as QB 3.

Rourke balling out would be pretty huge but still have doubts they would trade Mac since they haven't already.

I think for receivers we've got locks being Evans, Pearsall, Stribling, and Kirk should be locks. That means the last two spots come down to a competition between (IMO) Robinson, Cowing, Watkins, Pauling, Turner and Bergen. I think whoever returns kicks and punts the best gets that last spot TBH.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Rourke balling out would be pretty huge but still have doubts they would trade Mac since they haven't already.

I think for receivers we've got locks being Evans, Pearsall, Stribling, and Kirk should be locks. That means the last two spots come down to a competition between (IMO) Robinson, Cowing, Watkins, Pauling, Turner and Bergen. I think whoever returns kicks and punts the best gets that last spot TBH.

Agree. I don't think Mac will be traded, and Rourke beating Mac to the QB 2 positon is such a longshot. Yeah, odds are that no way Mac is going to get traded, oh well. I can still dream!

I agree with your reading of the WR situation. I think injuries will again probably play a role in Stribling and the other young receivers playing time. That will be the time for Stribling, Bergen, Cowing and Watkins to break into the starting lineup. Let's see what they do this year.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Rourke balling out would be pretty huge but still have doubts they would trade Mac since they haven't already.

I think for receivers we've got locks being Evans, Pearsall, Stribling, and Kirk should be locks. That means the last two spots come down to a competition between (IMO) Robinson, Cowing, Watkins, Pauling, Turner and Bergen. I think whoever returns kicks and punts the best gets that last spot TBH.

Agree. I don't think Mac will be traded, and Rourke beating Mac to the QB 2 positon is such a longshot. Yeah, odds are that no way Mac is going to get traded, oh well. I can still dream!

I agree with your reading of the WR situation. I think injuries will again probably play a role in Stribling and the other young receivers playing time. That will be the time for Stribling, Bergen, Cowing and Watkins to break into the starting lineup. Let's see what they do this year.

I think they hold onto him till trade deadline and hope someone needs a QB then and we can get a high pick for him

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
I think they hold onto him till trade deadline and hope someone needs a QB then and we can get a high pick for him

That's my hope too. At this point in the season, anything at around the 3rd round or better - maybe a 2nd would work in my book. It doesn't look like the 49ers are going to get compensatory picks next year, but you would know better than me, AB.

That safety group is so bad. Its laughable. I cant for the life of me understand what they're thinking with that group.

Originally posted by Giedi:

Originally posted by AB81Rules:
I think they hold onto him till trade deadline and hope someone needs a QB then and we can get a high pick for him

That's my hope too. At this point in the season, anything at around the 3rd round or better - maybe a 2nd would work in my book. It doesn't look like the 49ers are going to get compensatory picks next year, but you would know better than me, AB.

Yeah they won't be getting any comp picks, they gained 3 comp FAs and lost 3 comp FAs, they didn't have many FAs worthy of getting enough, and the one who should have hasn't even been signed, and the deadline was this past Monday, and if Jauan had signed he would have been offset by Evans, so I think this was a great year to sign some comp FAs like Evans & Kirk, though Dre & Hobbs would count money wise but since they were cut, so they don't count.

And looking at OTC, the 3 that counted against us were Evans, Kirk & Lowe, while the ones who we lost that counted for us were Bourne, Elliott & Burford, everyone else doesn't count, either due to not being true UFAs like Kalia Davis, Hobbs & Dre, and then because the others didn't getb enough money to count, like Toth, Jones, Skyy Moore, Brian Robinson Jr., Bartch, etc...