49ers depth chart: An early 53-man projection and look at roster complexion (2024)

The San Francisco 49ers must still add about 20 players to fill their offseason 90-man roster, but much of that work will be done during next month’s NFL Draft. With the first wave of free agency over, there are enough pieces in place now to begin projecting how the 53-man roster might be constructed this fall.

The team’s window to add notable veterans is still open. But as the roster projection below illustrates, any signings from this point forward will need to fit into the relatively few openings within the 49ers’ crowded depth chart. This projection fills 50 of 53 roster spots; unproven players are listed as “Others” instead of being slotted into the 53-man picture by default. This helps show who might have the most to prove and where back-of-the-roster battles will be.

Let’s roll through this position by position. Players acquired this month are italicized.

Quarterback

QB1:Brock Purdy
QB2:Joshua Dobbs
QB3:Brandon Allen

Analysis: Expect a competition between Dobbs and Allen for the No. 2 spot, with the former being the favorite to win that job. Outside of that, this is about as clear-cut of a QB situation as there can be in March. Contrast that with this time last year: Purdy was fresh off elbow surgery while Sam Darnold and Trey Lance were prepared to lock horns in an offseason battle for No. 2. The 49ers have again built a deep quarterback room — and at a combined 2024 salary-cap charge of only about $5 million. Also of note: Both Purdy and Dobbs bring good mobility to the table.

Running back/fullback

RB1:Christian McCaffrey
RB2:Elijah Mitchell
RB3:Jordan Mason
FB: Kyle Juszczyk

Others: TBD

Analysis:The 49ers will likely add at least two backs to this collection. One of the newcomers might be headed to the 53-man roster because the team has usually carried four running backs on it, while the other(s) will go to the practice squad. Will the 49ers bring in a potential successor at fullback to develop under Juszczyk, who’ll turn 33 next month and who’s under contract through 2025? Versatile Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott, projected to be a mid-round draft pick, might fit well in such a role — especially because the tight end room is low on bodies.

Receiver

WR1:Brandon Aiyuk
WR2:Deebo Samuel
WR3:Jauan Jennings
WR4: Chris Conley
WR5: Ronnie Bell

Others: Danny Gray, Tay Martin

Analysis:Spots on this projected 53-man roster are earned, not given. That’s why Gray is on the outside looking in. Gray recovered from a preseason injury with months still remaining last season, but the 49ers never activated him. That’s a clear indication the third-year speedster has much work to do. Jennings is not technically on the roster at the moment; the 49ers have offered him a restricted free-agent tender worth $4.9 million for 2024 but he hasn’t yet signed it. Aiyuk and Samuel have been subjects of trade rumors this offseason, but it’s hard to imagine a realistic way for the 49ers to improve their offense in 2024 without either of those two on the team.

Tight end

TE1:George Kittle
TE2:Brayden Willis

Others: Cameron Latu, Jake Tonges

Analysis:The 49ers typically carry four tight ends on their 53-man roster, but they have only two proven contributors. Latu is in a similar boat as Gray. He’ll have to prove himself this offseason. Latu strained through a miserable training camp in 2023, dropping multiple passes before landing on injured reserve with a knee injury. There are likely two tight end spots here for the taking, but the 49ers will undoubtedly bring in more competition. Veterans like C.J. Uzomah and Robert Tonyan are still available and the 49ers own 10 picks in the upcoming draft.

Offensive line

LT:Trent Williams
LG:Aaron Banks
C:Jake Brendel
RG: Jon Feliciano
RT: Colton McKivitz
OL6: Spencer Burford
OL7: Jaylon Moore
OL8: Ben Bartch
OL9: Nick Zakelj

Others: Brandon Parker, Corey Luciano, Sebastian Gutierrez, Isaac Alarcón

Analysis:The 49ers have all five starters from this unit back (they re-signed Feliciano), but the next calendar year will require a lot of work on this line. For starters, Williams — who remains elite — will be 36 years old next season. Banks is entering his final season under contract. Feliciano has hinted that this might be his “last ride” and the 49ers might be able to eventually upgrade center and right tackle, even though Brendel and McKivitz are both under contract for two more seasons. It’s not hard to see the 49ers drafting an offensive lineman in the first round, but it’s tough to tell which position they’ll focus on since there are multiple looming holes. This unit finished No. 22 in ESPN’s pass-block win rate in 2023. That marked one of the 49ers’ biggest statistical weaknesses.

Defensive line

DL1: Nick Bosa
DL2:Javon Hargrave
DL3:Maliek Collins
DL4: Leonard Floyd
DL5: Yetur Gross-Matos
DL6: Jordan Elliott
DL7: Kevin Givens
DL8: Drake Jackson
DL9: Robert Beal Jr.
DL10: Kalia Davis

Others: Austin Bryant, T.Y. McGill, Alex Barrett, Spencer Waege, Sam Okuayinonu, Earnest Brown IV, Raymond Johnson III

Analysis:This is a significantly reconstructed unit. The 49ers clearly weren’t satisfied with the performance of their front last season, especially against the run. They added Floyd, a durable and consistently high-motor bookend for Bosa. Collins fills Arik Armstead’s role at tackle at a roughly $10 million discount. Gross-Matos and Elliott signed to bolster the second wave. The 49ers would like to see all this fresh blood bring out the best in younger linemen like Jackson, Beal and Davis — all of whom will have to compete to make the rotation. There are 17 defensive linemen on the 90-man roster, a staggering amount. Let the competition begin.

Linebacker

LB1:Fred Warner
LB2: De’Vondre Campbell
LB3: Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
LB4: Ezekiel Turner
LB5: Dee Winters

PUP: Dre Greenlaw

Others: Jalen Graham, Curtis Robinson

Analysis: We’ll assume that Greenlaw, who’s recovering from an Achilles tear, won’t be quite ready for the start of the season. The 49ers have insulated themselves here to account for that possibility. Campbell is an accomplished veteran who might be past his prime, but the 49ers simply need a stopgap. They’re also intent on improving a special teams unit that ranked No. 25 DVOA last season, and Turner — who blocked a 49ers’ punt with the Arizona Cardinals in 2020 — is part of the attempted solution there. Whenever Greenlaw is fully cleared, the roster dynamics here should change. But injuries elsewhere can also happen, so the 49ers have decided they’d rather be safe than sorry and they’ve added a load of linebacker depth.

Cornerback

CB1:Charvarius Ward
CB2:Deommodore Lenoir
CB3: Isaac Yiadom
CB4: Ambry Thomas
CB5: Chase Lucas
CB6: Darrell Luter Jr.

Others: Samuel Womack III, Kemon Hall

Analysis:Expect the 49ers to carry up to six cornerbacks. The most intriguing question lies in where Yiadom, who started the back half of last season for the New Orleans Saints and broke up 14 passes (this ranked No. 12 in the NFL), fits in. Yiadom hadn’t been good until last season, but his 2023 performance suggests he can at least man the outside cornerback spot in nickel situations. This would allow the 49ers to breathe easier about moving Lenoir into the slot in five-DB packages. Lucas has worked at nickelback before, but his forte comes on special teams. He has a chance to prove himself as the 49ers’ top gunner, which would earn a roster spot. With Ward and Lenoir only under contract for one more season, it seems possible the 49ers could use a higher-end draft pick on a cornerback next month.

Safety

S1:Talanoa Hufanga
S2:Ji’Ayir Brown
S3:George Odum

Others: Tayler Hawkins, Erik Harris

Analysis:There’s room for another player here, which is why there’s been speculation that the 49ers might make a run at former Denver Broncos star Justin Simmons. Hufanga, who’s entering the final season of his rookie contract, tore his ACL in November of last season. There should be natural concern about how quickly he can return to form. Brown is a promising young player but is only entering his second year. A veteran ballhawk would fit well in the void left by Tashaun Gipson Sr. The 49ers extended Odum’s contract this month. He can fill in at safety when needed, but that was another move geared toward the third phase of the game. Odum led the NFL in special teams tackles in 2022 and was again in the No. 1 spot when he suffered a torn biceps in November 2023.

Special teams

LS:Taybor Pepper
K:Jake Moody
P:Mitch Wishnowsky
KR: TBD
PR: TBD

Analysis:The trio of Pepper, Moody and Wishnowsky will return for another season. It should be noted that the 49ers, despite their special teams struggles last season, did enjoy a very good year from Wishnowsky. He delivered 190 yards of field position over expectation, according to a new stat from NFL Next Gen Stats, which ranked No. 3 in the league.

The 49ers do still need a return specialist. Ray-Ray McCloud III handled those duties over the past two season, but he’s signed with the Atlanta Falcons. There’s no obvious candidate for the job on the roster right now. This was last true in 2021, and that turned into a disastrous year for the return units. The 49ers signed McCloud as a response to that, so it seems they’d want to address this role again over the coming months.

(Top photos of Drake Jackson, Danny Gray and Joshua Dobbs:
Gregory Shamus, Matthew Stockman and Ian Maule / Getty Images)