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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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49ers Dawson
Oct 18, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers kicker Phil Dawson (9) kicks a field goal against the Baltimore Ravens during the first quarter at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports /

Special Teams

Kicker: Phil Dawson, John Lunsford

Punter: Bradley Pinion

Long-Snapper: Kyle Nelson

Punt/Kick Returner: Bruce Ellington, DeAndrew White

The only real position battle here is between veteran kicker Phil Dawson and rookie kicker John Lunsford.

At 41 years old, Dawson still has the ability to impact the offense and special teams. He converted 24 of 27 field-goal attempts last season and missed just one extra-point attempt. Contractually, he may be a bit overpaid, but he’s still reliable enough to hold onto a job.

Lunsford, signed as an undrafted free agent out of Liberty, could be a camp body — much like the 49ers had last year with kicker Corey Acosta.

But will the Niners replace an aging, and expensive, veteran kicker with a cheaper option? They did so last season with punter Bradley Pinion replacing former 49ers Pro Bowler Andy Lee.

Pinion isn’t going anywhere, and wide receiver Bruce Ellington will hold onto a job. Whether or not wide receiver DeAndrew White stays on the roster has yet to be determined.

Strong Bubble: Phil Dawson

Weak Bubble: John Lunsford, DeAndrew White

Next: Secondary