San Francisco 49ers: 5 Veterans Who May Be on the Roster Bubble in 2016
By Jerod Brown
Final Thoughts
The San Francisco 49ers are at a critical juncture in the rebuild of the crumbling franchise. The team is loaded with young, unproven players that need time and experience to develop. The team is placing the majority of their bets on players that they haven’t seen much of.
Head coach Chip Kelly is tasked with improving the roster by coaching up young guys through the first few years of their careers. The team has a few veteran leaders, but the majority of players expected to produce are in the early stages of their careers.
The team brought in a large amount of rookies and, while most won’t make the active roster, they’ll push unsettled veterans for roles in 2016.
For differing reasons, Bruce Miller, Antoine Bethea, Quinton Patton, Vance McDonald and Glenn Dorsey are all on the roster bubble. That’s not to say that they’re out the door already. But that they’ll be challenged for positions and may not win those battles.
Don’t be surprised when at least three or four established veterans are looking for work elsewhere in late August. The roster has to be trimmed and someone has to go. The ensuing camp competitions will be entertaining all summer long.
Next: 49ers Future Starting QB Jeff Driskel
All statistics, records and accolades courtesy of Pro-Football-Reference.com and ESPN.com unless otherwise indicated.