San Francisco 49ers: Early look at 10 players on the 2018 roster bubble
By Peter Panacy
No. 9: Nose Tackle Earl Mitchell
This might be more of a strong-bubble case, but it’s a bubble watch nonetheless.
Veteran nose tackle Earl Mitchell was one of the first free-agency signings made by general manager John Lynch, and he was a big piece in helping the 49ers run defense average a full yard less against the run compared to 2016 (3.8 yards per carry compared to 4.8).
Mitchell is signed through 2020, which makes an all-out cut seem less likely. But the dead money isn’t terrible (almost a non-factor, given how much cap space San Francisco has), and the fact he’ll turn 31 years old at the beginning of the 2018 season doesn’t work in his favor.
A lot of whether or not Mitchell stays off the bubble will hinge on the development of 2017 rookie nose tackle D.J. Jones, who only saw 147 snaps this season but still has a high ceiling.
The Niners could easily keep both on the roster, as they did last season. But if Jones winds up making a huge leap in year two, Mitchell’s presence turns into something of an excess commodity.