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San Francisco 49ers: Who Is on Each Position’s Roster Bubble in 2016?

By Peter Panacy

Jan 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Quinton Patton (11) runs with the ball after making a catch against the St. Louis Rams in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 3, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Quinton Patton (11) runs with the ball after making a catch against the St. Louis Rams in the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Francisco 49ers are going through a youth movement for the 2016 season. The team’s 90-man roster will need to be cut to 53 players for the start of Week 1, so which contributors might be on the roster bubble? Niner Noise takes a position-by-position look at bubble-watch guys.

Oct 19, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) before the game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; San Francisco 49ers outside linebacker Ahmad Brooks (55) before the game against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports /

The San Francisco 49ers, or any NFL team for that matter, have difficult choices to make when formulating a 53-man regular-season roster after as many as 90 players have been invited to training camp.

There are favorites — bona fide shoo-ins, who are all but guaranteed a roster spot in the upcoming 2016 campaign for the Niners.

Fans need not worry about players like linebacker NaVorro Bowman securing a roster spot. The same can be said about running back Carlos Hyde and more than a number of other 49ers across the board.

But what of some other players, whose fortunes with the red and gold don’t look quite as good?

There are a number of bubble-watch players on San Francisco’s roster entering 2016. Many players currently with the team are merely “camp bodies” and intended to, at the least, provide some competition, depth and preseason insurance policies against injuries.

Yet a number of 49ers, some known well, could be in danger of not making the roster at all this season.

We’ll take a position-by-position look at these notable roster-bubble guys, and we’ll also try to determine whether each should be classified as a “strong” or “weak” bubble player.

Let’s start it off with special teams.

Next: Special Teams