49ers roster: Alfredo Gutierrez will continue development in 2022

The 49ers look to continue their work with Alfredo Gutierrez, part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway, in 2022 as a developmental piece.

In 2021, the NFC West was awarded the chance to partake in the NFL International Player Pathway, which focuses on onboarding international players from around the globe to transition into the league and gain practical experience.

Last season, the player the San Francisco 49ers received was offensive lineman Alfredo Gutierrez, whose own story from his time at Montgomery High School in Chula Vista, California, to Tec de Monterrey in Mexico is a noteworthy one.

As part of the player pathway, Gutierrez won’t count against a spot on the otherwise 16-man practice squad, provided he doesn’t make the 53-man roster once the 2022 preseason comes to a close.

The Niners didn’t promote Gutierrez to the regular-season roster last season. If they did, they’d lose the exemption spot on the practice squad.

That said, perhaps 2022 is the time for Gutierrez to make a dent.

Why Alfredo Gutierrez makes more headway with 49ers in 2022

Recalling some of Gutierrez’s preseason efforts a year ago, effectively his rookie season, the 26 year old showed modest signs of pass protection and run blocking, equivalent to a player on the back end of a training camp roster.

That pretty much sums up the visual observation for the 6-foot-9, 332-pound lineman, who does command an imposing presence.

However, San Francisco has some notable questions and concerns about O-line depth this offseason, namely after letting left guard Laken Tomlinson leave in NFL free agency and watching center Alex Mack retire.

That’ll shake up the depth chart and increase chances for players like Gutierrez, but will it make a difference?

Why Alfredo Gutierrez doesn’t make a splash with 49ers in 2022

For starters, the 49ers probably don’t want to lose that extra practice squad spot if Gutierrez ever finds himself on the 53-man roster. Of course, they could simply part ways with him outright, and he doesn’t carry any guaranteed money in his deal.

More importantly, though, the depth O-line options are still crowded and include carryovers from last year like Colton McKivitz, Jaylon Moore and Justin Skule, who are now joined by drafted rookies like Spencer Burford and Nick Zakelj.

Each one of those names stands a much better chance of making the regular-season group.

Alfredo Gutierrez’s projected role, impact this season

The Niners do take to the road this season, traveling to Mexico City, Mexico, to face the Arizona Cardinals as part of the NFL International Series.

While it would be cool for Gutierrez, the Mexican native, to return to play in his home country and actually see the field, don’t count on it happening.

What’ll likely be the case is the exact same of what happened a year ago, Gutierrez getting in some late-game work during the preseason before reverting back to the practice squad with a roster-spot exemption in this group.