49ers 2019 roster bubble-watch prediction ahead of preseason Week 1

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BATON ROUGE, LA – NOVEMBER 14: Dre Greenlaw #23 of the Arkansas Razorbacks pursues Brandon Harris #6 of the LSU Tigers during the second quarter of a game at Tiger Stadium on November 14, 2015 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

Linebacker

Lock: Kwon Alexander, Dre Greenlaw, David Mayo, Fred Warner

Strong Bubble: Elijah Lee, Mark Nzeocha, Malcolm Smith

Weak Bubble: Azeez Al-Shaair

Long Shot: LaRoy Reynolds

Like the cornerbacks, the 49ers appear to have the majority of their starters figured out at linebacker.

One position, the strong-side (SAM) spot, seems to be up for grabs, but only slightly. Rookie backer Dre Greenlaw, whom the Niners selected in Round 5 of this year’s NFL Draft, has been seeing plenty of first-team reps in training camp here. That bodes well for his chances, not only to serve as a primary reserve, but also to see a significant role this season.

Greenlaw’s rise could push the veteran, Malcolm Smith, off the 53-man roster by Week 1. Smith’s contract is the only reason why he’s listed on the stronger side of the bubble, but he’s on it nonetheless.

Linebacker David Mayo makes the cut based off his special teams prowess, and San Francisco seems to like the same in Mark Nzeocha, too.

Keep an eye on the undrafted rookie, Azeez Al-Shaair, however. He might not make the cut. But for the practice squad, Al-Shaair might be an excellent addition.