49ers roster: Who is a lock, who is on the bubble in 2022?

49ers’ Defense: Locks

EDGE Nick Bosa

DL Arik Armstead

EDGE Samson Ebukam

DL Kerry Hyder

DL Maurice Hurst

DT Javon Kinlaw

DT Hassan Ridgeway

EDGE Charles Omenihu

LB Fred Warner

LB Azeez Al-Shaair

LB Dre Greenlaw

LB Oren Burks

CB Emmanuel Moseley

CB Charvarius Ward

CB Ambry Thomas

CB Deommodore Lenoir

FS Jimmie Ward

SS Talanoa Hufanga

S George Odum

S Tarvarius Moore

Total: 20

The word “lock” might be a little strong in some of these cases, notably players like safety Tarvariuis Moore, who is coming off a major injury that caused him to miss all of the 2021 season, and even someone like EDGE Charles Omenihu, who is a good rotation pass-rusher but not a world-beater by any stretch of the imagination.

That said, while the Niners do have nine draft picks, they can’t count on all nine of those guys (provided they actually select nine new players) to contribute right away, so veteran depth and rotational guys will be key to building this roster.

There are, however, a sizable chunk of these players who are no doubt roster locks: EDGE Nick Bosa, who stands to see a massive payday coming his way soon, defensive tackles Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw, linebackers Fred Warner and Azeez Al-Shaair, cornerbacks Emmanuel Moseley, Ambry Thomas, Deommodore Lenior, and newly signed Charvarius Ward, and safeties Jimmie Ward, Talanoa Hufanga, and free-agent addition and special teams All-Pro George Odum are pretty well locked into the 53-man roster.

Other defensive linemen, like Samson Ebukam, Kerry Hyder, Hassan Ridgeway, and Maurice Hurst could be replaced, but the likelier outcome is that the 49ers opt to add depth in the draft rather than simply replacing these players (more on this in a moment).

The defensive unit with the most question marks around it in terms of who makes the team is linebacker. Beyond Warner, there is an interesting narrative surrounding Al-Shaair and Dre Greenlaw, who had an injury-plagued 2021 season. Both in line for potential long-term extensions, but keeping both at high cap numbers makes no sense given how little time NFL teams use three linebackers these days.

The pair is costing the Niners just a hair over $6.5 million in 2022, so it’s possible they keep both for this season, barring someone coming in and trading for one or the other, and look to extend one beyond this year.

The last name here is free-agent signing Oren Burks, who is a 49er mostly on the strength of his special teams play, an area the team clearly saw as a weakness in 2021. Burks should make a few other players from the last few seasons expendable but won’t be counted on as a defensive player.