Rethinking 49ers 53-man roster after first wave of 2021 cuts
With one 49ers preseason game and a round of cuts out of the way, let’s reconsider previous attempts to predict the 53-man roster for 2021.
Another year means another set of NFL roster rules that the San Francisco 49ers and the rest of the league have to follow.
With the cut down to three preseason games, the league implemented new rules for roster cuts, which means we’ll see a round of cuts each week until the final 53-man rosters are due by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Aug. 31.
The first round for the Niners, which brought their roster down from 90 players to 85, including cutting the following players:
- DE Eddie Vanderdoes
- CB Ken Webster
- LB James Burgess Jr.
- LB Donald Payne
- TE Joshua Perkins
- QB Josh Rosen
Wide receiver Austin Watkins was also waived/released with a broken foot and could revert the 49ers injured-reserve list if he clears waivers. The team also added former Seattle Seahawks and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks and claimed former Baltimore Ravens Ravens cornerback Davontae Harris off the waiver wire.
With those moves in place and two preseason games left to evaluate some of the bottom-of-the-roster spots yet to be claimed, let’s take a look at who could end up making the 53-man group when the final cuts are made, along with some players who the team might want to keep around on the expanded practice squad this season.