Niner Noise
FanSided

Rethinking 49ers 53-man roster predictions one week into training camp

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CA - MAY 23: Dontae Johnson #36 of the San Francisco 49ers participates in drills during 49ers Rookie Minicamp on May 23, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA - MAY 23: Dontae Johnson #36 of the San Francisco 49ers participates in drills during 49ers Rookie Minicamp on May 23, 2014 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 11: Kwon Alexander #58 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heads off the field after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on September 11, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – SEPTEMBER 11: Kwon Alexander #58 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers heads off the field after the game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome on September 11, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Linebacker (6)

MIKE: Fred Warner, Elijah Lee

WILL: Kwon Alexander, David Mayo

SAM: Dre Greenlaw, Mark Nzeocha

Trimming a roster down to 53 players ultimately means taking some risks, especially against injuries. And Kyle Shanahan may be forced to do that here.

San Francisco drops from seven linebackers in our last prediction piece down to six. The one notable name missing is veteran linebacker Malcolm Smith.

Smith’s tenure with the 49ers has been disappointing, enough for his contract to be renegotiated down to a one year-deal for 2019. And while cutting Smith after the preseason would generate a lofty $4.2 million in dead money for the season, it ultimately frees up a roster spot Shanahan will happily use elsewhere.

Even if it means taking that risk and fully hoping the team’s primary free-agent pickup from the offseason, Kwon Alexander, returns healthy enough to contribute after tearing his ACL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last year.

Rookie Dre Greenlaw has been seeing a lot of first-team reps during training camp, essentially unseating Smith’s previous hold on the SAM spot during OTAs. And while SAM linebackers don’t see the field as much as both the MIKE and WILL backers, Greenlaw’s projected role figures to be a good one this season.