The San Francisco 49ers finished 2017 strong but still have a number of key moves to make heading into this offseason, which means other players are on the roster bubble.
It appears as if the San Francisco 49ers’ rebuild is progressing much faster than anticipated.
This, after the Niners wrapped up 2017 with a five-game winning streak, knocking off three playoff teams — the Tennessee Titans, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Los Angeles Rams — in the process.
That’s good news for general manager John Lynch and Co., who are still armed with a top-10 pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and roughly $115 million in available cap space.
But with a pending influx of new players, along with some who may see roles increase next year, others will have to depart.
It’s far too early to start projecting lineups and 53-man rosters, but it’s worth taking a look at some of those players who could be on the roster bubble around training camp time in 2018.
We won’t talk about pending free agents. No, each one of these early bubble-watch players is under contract in 2018. And for whatever the reasons, their roster spots could be in jeopardy.
Let’s take a look.
No. 10: Running Back Joe Williams
San Francisco 49ers
Like most players on this list, a lot of the bubble watch will focus on the 49ers’ actions during free agency and the NFL Draft.
With 2017 rookie tailback Joe Williams, who spent the entirety of his first season on injured reserve with an ankle injury, this will depend on whether or not the Niners re-sign veteran RB Carlos Hyde and/or add another runner in the draft this April.
Especially when the crop of talented prospect backs is pretty deep.
Williams didn’t enamor himself to the 49ers coaching staff during training camp or the preseason, dealing with consistency and fumbling issues. Head coach Kyle Shanahan recently noted he’s been pleased with Williams’ work last season, which is a positive.
But this position is already one that could easily be pretty crowded in 2018.
Undrafted rookie Matt Breida solidified himself as a No. 2 ball carrier behind Hyde, and some may argue he’s worthy of a starting job. If Hyde re-signs, that leaves one more likely spot on the 53-man roster.
If Shanahan tabs another runner in the draft, it’s not likely Williams makes the cut next season.
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.
No. 8: Offensive Lineman Zane Beadles
Veteran offensive lineman Zane Beadles wasn’t supposed to start in 2017. Instead, he was going to be an uber-O-lineman, capable of playing all five spots up front.
That’s what kept him on the roster. But even after second-year guard Joshua Garnett went down with a knee injury during training camp, Beadles didn’t provide enough evidence he was worth pegging into a starting role. Instead, the 49ers traded for former Detroit Lions guard Laken Tomlinson.
Beadles still wound up seeing 395 snaps and five starts this season. And the analytics weren’t pretty.
According to Pro Football Focus, Beadles posted a 32.9 overall grade on the season, which would have ranked dead last out of 82 qualifying guards if he had been placed in that category (Beadles was listed at center).
The offensive line, especially between the tackles, is of high priority for general manager John Lynch this offseason.
That includes depth. And with Beadles costing a mere $583,334 in dead money if cut next season, it would almost be shocking if he returns.
No. 7: EDGE Pita Taumoepenu
The 49ers certainly hurt for the pass rush this season, finishing 26th in the NFL with 30 sacks.
For most of the year, the Niners were left scrambling for pass-rushing options off the edge. And while the veteran, Elvis Dumervil, filled in nicely, there was a clear lack of depth from this vital spot.
Former Utah EDGE Pita Taumoepenu was little more than a developmental prospect when the Niners took him in Round 6 of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was raw, but promising.
But that promise amounted to him being inactive for all but two games over the course of his rookie season. And he never saw a single on-field snap.
Like a number of positions, a pass-rusher off the outside will be of high priority for San Francisco’s offseason plans. It’s not likely the Niners are ready to close the door on Taumoepenu just yet, rather they’d likely be inclined to give that spot on the 53-man roster to someone else.
This would mean Taumoepenu would be demoted to the practice squad, assuming he makes it there, where hopefully the 49ers can turn his potential into something workable down the road.
No. 6: Wide Receiver Aldrick Robinson
When the 49ers hired Kyle Shanahan to be head coach, many of the offensive moves made were to grab free agents familiar with Shanahan’s offense.
Wide receiver Aldrick Robinson was one such player, having played under Shanahan with the Atlanta Falcons, previously.
Robinson had a moderate impact on San Francisco’s stat sheet this season, finishing 2017 with 19 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns. Surely, his understanding of Shanahan’s complex system helped. But the majority of Niners receivers have that ability now, making Robinson something of an excess commodity.
The 49ers still need a true No. 1 wideout. If they’re able to land one, a top-four receiving corps would look something like this:
- No. 1 receiver
- Pierre Garçon
- Trent Taylor (slot)
- Marquise Goodwin
San Francisco could keep as many as six receivers on the roster, which helps Robinson’s chances some. But with other, younger receivers like Kendrick Bourne and Victor Bolden Jr. vying for spots, this will be a tougher challenge than initially thought.
No. 5: Offensive Guard Laken Tomlinson
Losing second-year guard Joshua Garnett to a season-ending knee injury during training camp prompted the 49ers to make a move prior to the start of the regular season.
The team wasn’t comfortable starting their own, Zane Beadles, and the Niners traded with the Detroit Lions for former first-round draftee, Laken Tomlinson.
Tomlinson fell out of favor in Detroit fairly quickly. And after a few games in a 49ers uniform, it was pretty clear why. He was one of the major liabilities in what proved to be a very weak interior along the team’s offensive line.
Overall, Tomlinson finished with a 70.7 overall grade, according to Pro Football Focus. That’s not bad, taking the entirety of 2017 into account. But when his midseason grades were hovering around the 40 mark, one could see why he was such a problem up front.
On a good note, Tomlinson finished the year on a strong note, finishing with an 87.6 game grade, per PFF, against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17.
That works in his favor for the upcoming year. But with Garnett’s pending return, paired with some likely free-agent and NFL Draft moves, Tomlinson could easily be an odd man out.
No. 4: Linebacker Eli Harold
Veteran linebacker Eli Harold wound up beating out former Niners linebacker Ahmad Brooks for the starting SAM spot on defense after training camp.
But that’s about all Harold did in 2017.
Despite starting all but five games and seeing 452 snaps, Harold hardly dented the stat sheet, finishing with just 26 tackles and two sacks — both of which were about the easiest you’ll see, if you go back and watch the film.
Harold’s 47.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade suggests the Niners would be wise to find an upgrade this offseason.
The Niners likely have two linebacking spots pegged for next year — Reuben Foster at MIKE and Malcolm Smith (IR, pectoral) at WILL.
Harold could still wind up being a moderate backup, possibly a starter if the issue isn’t addressed. But it’s equally as possible the 49ers find some upgrades for 2018.
No. 3: Offensive Guard Joshua Garnett
The current 49ers regime previously noted it had zero loyalty to players selected high by former general manager Trent Baalke. Each draftee would have to prove himself to the new coaching staff.
Such is the case with former first-round selection, offensive guard Joshua Garnett, who was lost to injured reserve with a knee injury during training camp.
Garnett struggled his rookie season, and one can only guess what his impact would have been like in 2017. While he recovered, the Niners asked Garnett to work on his body composition to be a better fit within head coach Kyle Shanahan’s blocking scheme.
We’ll have to see how well this works, and it isn’t every day a team can boast an Outland Trophy recipient on its roster — awarded to the best interior offensive lineman in college football.
Still, the 49ers could still seek upgrades.
As noted earlier, the interior of the O-line is one of the biggest issues facing San Francisco this offseason. Garnett has some relative roster safety because of this.
But if the Niners bring in a high-profile free agent, or tab someone like Notre Dame guard Quenton Nelson in the NFL Draft, Garnett’s hold on a roster spot becomes a little more precarious.
No. 2: Safety Jimmie Ward
Former first-round draftee, safety Jimmie Ward, has landed on season-ending injured reserve in three of his four pro campaigns.
Last year, it was a broken forearm that did him in during Week 8. Combine that with a hamstring injury that held him out of training camp and the preseason, and it’s safe to say Ward is pretty injury prone.
Safety figures to be one of the more crowded positions for the 49ers this upcoming season. True, veteran strong safety Eric Reid is a pending free agent. But fellow defensive back Jaquiski Tartt appears poised to take over that starting job.
And with seventh-round draftee Adrian Colbert nicely assuming starting duties over the latter half of 2017, Ward might be something of an excess commodity.
It’s possible the Niners move Ward back to cornerback — the position he first played after being drafted by San Francisco in 2014. Plus, general manager John Lynch hinted at the team being excited about his eventual return.
Cornerback is a need, but is Ward worthy of the placement here? Sure, he’d be an upgrade over No. 2 corner Dontae Johnson (a pending free agent). But if San Francisco lands another corner in free agency or high in the NFL Draft, keeping Ward around much longer seems doubtful.
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.
Next: 2018 Round 1 NFL Draft mock: New Year's Day edition
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.