Niner Noise
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49ers 2018 roster: Final 53-man predictions before Week 1

By Aaron Tan

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 24: Aaron Burbridge #13 of the San Francisco 49ers leads teammates onto the field before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 24: Aaron Burbridge #13 of the San Francisco 49ers leads teammates onto the field before the game against the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on December 24, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers hits quarterback Carson Palmer #3 of the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 01: Defensive tackle DeForest Buckner #99 of the San Francisco 49ers hits quarterback Carson Palmer #3 of the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of the NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on October 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /

Defensive Line (9): DeForest Buckner, Solomon Thomas, Arik Armstead, Cassius Marsh, Earl Mitchell, D.J. Jones, Sheldon Day, Jeremiah Attaochu, Dekoda Watson

There is a lot of potential on this defensive line. With the exception of Earl Mitchell, I could see any one of the players in this group having a breakout season.

Defensive end DeForest Buckner has arguably already broken out but remains the league’s most underrated player. Everybody is sleeping on him. That needs to change.

Solomon Thomas has looked like he has made that nice sophomore-year leap, as he is clearly playing with more strength and power so far this year. The same goes for Arik Armstead, whose injury-plagued career has haunted him so far, but looks good and healthy enough to have a much-needed bounce-back season.

The only person I’m not so sure about making the roster is Earl Mitchell. Fellow nose tackles D.J. Jones and Sheldon Day are much younger and are honestly playing much better football than Mitchell is right now.

The team should look to trade him. But if they won’t be able to get much for him (and they probably won’t), Mitchell is a decent-enough player to keep on the team.