San Francisco 49ers: Early look at 10 players on the 2018 roster bubble
By Peter Panacy
![SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 22: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys is pushed out of bounds by Jimmie Ward #25 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 22: Ezekiel Elliott #21 of the Dallas Cowboys is pushed out of bounds by Jimmie Ward #25 of the San Francisco 49ers during their NFL game at Levi's Stadium on October 22, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/3d1a8c4db8718022c621b6b885a156c44989b8f47b2333672f92248a357236aa.jpg)
No. 1: Defensive End Arik Armstead
The 49ers invested heavily in their defensive line the past few years, meaning there’s a lot of talent there but also relatively few spaces.
With second-year pro DeForest Buckner emerging as one of the league’s elite interior linemen, and the Niners pulling for a strong second year from 2017 rookie Solomon Thomas, it’s possible fellow defensive end Arik Armstead is pushed out of the picture.
Armstead’s 2017 came to a disappointing close after he broke his hand in Week 6. And with the additional figures on San Francisco’s D-line, it’s possible he’s an odd man out.
Thomas and Buckner are in better shape to solidify long-term roles under the new regime, while Armstead’s injury history and being a holdover from the Trent Baalke era work against him.
In coordinator Robert Saleh’s defense, the Niners experimented with Armstead as a LEO 5-technique. It didn’t exactly work, though, as Armstead is probably better suited to provide more of an interior pass rush.
Those spots are occupied by Thomas and Buckner in sub packages.
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Armstead’s first-round status might be enough to allow some leeway here, but it’s also plausible the Niners look to move on from their former first-round pick from 2015.