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San Francisco 49ers: Way-too-early 53-man roster projections for 2019

By Robert Morrison

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Members of the San Francisco 49ers line up in the tunnel to take the field before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 09: Members of the San Francisco 49ers line up in the tunnel to take the field before the game against the Minnesota Vikings at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 9, 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) /
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GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 28: Linebacker Fred Warner #48 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after an intentional grounding penalty resulted in a safety during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – OCTOBER 28: Linebacker Fred Warner #48 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts after an intentional grounding penalty resulted in a safety during the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on October 28, 2018 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

Linebacker (5): Kwon Alexander, Fred Warner, Malcolm Smith, David Mayo, Dre Greenlaw

This is a tough group. Beyond Kwon Alexander, one of the main free agents from 2019, and Fred Warner, last year’s third-round NFL Draft pick out of BYU, the options are not exactly enticing.

Malcolm Smith hasn’t been good or on the field much since coming to San Francisco in 2017, although this could be the year where the cap savings-versus-dead-money equation might work out where he doesn’t make the squad ($4.2 million in savings versus about $1.3 in dead money, according to Over the Cap).

That would leave new signing, David Mayo and fifth-round pick Dre Greenlaw, who fills the hole made by trading Dekoda Watson on both special teams and as insurance or a backup for Alexander.