Predicting 49ers 53-man roster just before final roster cuts

Linebackers (5): Fred Warner*, Kwon Alexander*, Dre Greenlaw*, Mark Nzeocha*, Azeez Al-Shaair

The 49ers appear to be looking for versatility in their linebacker corps this year, so it shouldn’t be a major surprise that there’s a skillset that permeates this group: speed.

So while five may seem as if it’s a low number for the unit, given the fact that the 49ers and defensive coordinator Robert Saleh are going to spend a lot of time with just two linebackers on the field, it’s really only Fred Warner and Kwon Alexander who’ll be on the field for most of the snaps.

Rookie fifth-round pick Dre Greenlaw out of Arkansas seems to have done enough this preseason to allow the 49ers to release Malcolm Smith, but he’ll be allowed to play the SAM linebacker slot, meaning he’ll see less of the field and won’t be asked to do too much.

Fifth-year pro Mark Nzeocha may have done enough to show that he can be counted on as both a backup on defense, but also as one of the team’s special teams aces along with Mostert, allowing the Niners to part ways with free-agent signing David Mayo, who hasn’t looked up to the task this preseason.

The final slot will probably come down to two players: Elijah Lee, who was with the team in 2018, and rookie undrafted free-agent Azeez Al-Shaair.

As I noted previously, Lee is a known due to his years served as a 49er thus far, while Al-Shaair looks flashier and faster out on the field. These would be great skills to add to the special teams unit, while he works to improve as a defender without the pressure of having to preform.

This might be the first time that I’m going with my preference versus what I anticipate Lynch and Shanahan might do. But Al-Shaair appears to have shown enough for the team not to want to subject him to waivers.