Niner Noise
FanSided

5 49ers players who could find themselves cut in 2020

By Peter Panacy

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers runs out on the field during warm ups prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Levi's Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Marquise Goodwin #11 of the San Francisco 49ers runs out on the field during warm ups prior to the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Levi's Stadium on September 22, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images) /
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SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Solomon Thomas #94 of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the field before their game against the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SANTA CLARA, CA – SEPTEMBER 10: Solomon Thomas #94 of the San Francisco 49ers stands on the field before their game against the Carolina Panthers at Levi’s Stadium on September 10, 2017 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Defensive End Solomon Thomas

Like C.J. Beathard, the 49ers have kept defensive end Solomon Thomas around despite some earlier speculation he could be on the way out.

Perhaps, like Bearhard, the Niners’ commitment to Thomas was merely due to the notable investment the team made in him during the 2017 NFL Draft. Beathard was Kyle Shanahan’s first quarterback selected, while Thomas was the first player taken, going at No. 3 overall.

There’s no getting around the fact San Francisco will never reap the full reward from this investment. After two-plus years, even amid poor positioning and personal tragedy, the 49ers have accept Thomas is a good player, at best. Nothing more.

That’s OK, of course. But the Niners have to ask themselves whether or not he’s worth keeping around. Granted, there are a lot of other factors here. One of them is whether or not San Francisco is able to re-sign pending free-agent defensive tackle Arik Armstead this offseason. If he walks, there’s a better chance Thomas, still on his rookie contract, sticks around.

Then again, the 49ers might see more potential from some of the team’s other reserve defensive linemen, players like Jullian Taylor or Kentavius Street. There’s always the possibility another player, unknown in 2019, winds up becoming a storyline in 2020 training camp or the preseason, too.

Any one of those scenarios could push Thomas out of the picture.