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San Francisco 49ers: Prioritizing Each Position on Roster Before the 2016 NFL Draft

By Peter Panacy

August 24, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari (far left) instructs during the third quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Chargers 21-7. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
August 24, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers offensive line coach Mike Solari (far left) instructs during the third quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Levi's Stadium. The 49ers defeated the Chargers 21-7. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /
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August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead (69) rushes Dallas Cowboys tackle John Wetzel (61) during the second quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
August 23, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers defensive end Arik Armstead (69) rushes Dallas Cowboys tackle John Wetzel (61) during the second quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports /

Defensive Line

Players on Roster: Ian Williams, Quinton Dial, Arik Armstead, Glenn Dorsey, Tank Carradine, Mike Purcell, Marcus Rush, Kaleb Ramsey, Garrison Smith

Re-signing nose tackle Ian Williams was a very, very good move from the 49ers’ vantage point. He was the Niners’ best defender in 2015, according to Pro Football Focus, and Williams also enjoyed his first fully healthy season as a pro.

Flanking him will be defensive linemen Arik Armstead and Quinton Dial. Armstead, the 49ers’ first-round pick from a year ago, flashed plenty of promise during the latter half of last season. And Dial has been one of the more consistent producers  during his tenure.

Yet there remains some concern about the depth. Defensive tackle Glenn Dorsey (knee) likely won’t be ready at the start of the season. And defensive end Tank Carradine will likely be asked to shift to a specific edge-rushing role. His two active seasons in San Francisco haven’t exactly generated promising results.

Nose tackle Mike Purcell offers up some nice backup potential, but there isn’t a lot of amicable depth here.

Fortunately, the 2016 NFL draft class is pretty deep along the defensive line. So it wouldn’t be a shock to see general manager Trent Baalke stockpile some worthy components to add to the mix.

Perhaps there is another Williams-type player available in this year’s draft or as an undrafted free agent.

Priority 4

Next: Linebacker