49ers updated roster bubble watch after 2021 OTAs
By Peter Panacy
49ers Bubble Watch: Linebacker
Lock: Dre Greenlaw, Fred Warner
Strong Bubble: Azeez Al-Shaair, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Justin Hilliard
Weak Bubble: James Burgess Jr., Nathan Gerry, Jonas Griffith, Elijah Sullivan
Long Shot: None
There are two clear-cut answers at linebacker for the Niners, Dre Greenlaw and the 2020 first-team All-Pro, Fred Warner.
After that, the depth is a bit of a concern, and few other positions saw as many back-end transactions during the offseason than here.
Read More: 4 weakest links on 49ers roster entering 2021
New faces include veterans like James Burgess Jr. and Nathan Gerry, while the team also inked undrafted free agents like Justin Hilliard out of Ohio State and Elijah Sullivan out of Kansas State. Per Over the Cap, both Hilliard and Sullivan received notable guaranteed money on their respective rookie contracts, but Hilliard seems to be standing out a bit during OTAs.
If Hilliard can stay healthy, it’s possible he endangers someone like Azeez Al-Shaair’s hold on the roster as the No. 3 option.
What’ll likely thin out the pack will be how some of the depth linebackers contribute on special teams. That’ll be a key storyline to watch during training camp and could ultimately determine if players like Hilliard, Sullivan and Al-Shaair stick around.
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, too, as San Francisco seems to appreciate his versatility.