49ers Preseason: Evaluating Bubble-Watch Players for Each Position
By Peter Panacy
![Aug 14, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) warms up before the game against the Houston Texans at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports Aug 14, 2016; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers quarterback Blaine Gabbert (2) warms up before the game against the Houston Texans at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/0d2c6b2f75972b4ae5533503c2e1888423222569b761588f825256d5d4faddcf.jpg)
Special Teams
Lock: P Bradley Pinion, LS Kyle Nelson
Pretty Good: K Phil Dawson
Strong Bubble: None
Weak Bubble: K John Lunsford
We won’t worry about special teams contributors outside the specialists, but the only apparent competition here is between veteran kicker Phil Dawson and rookie undrafted free-agent kicker John Lunsford.
Maybe this is a competition, but the Niners did sign Dawson to a one-year, $3.134 million contract extension during the offseason.
The 49ers could elect to get younger and cheaper, and parting ways with Dawson would do this. Lunsford had a pretty good leg during his time at Liberty.
But doing so raises another question instead of answering one. And the Niners have plenty of questions on the table already.
Next: Safety