49ers training camp: 5 players who are losing their depth chart battles

Through two weeks of 49ers training camp, it’s becoming clear these five players are falling behind in the depth chart pecking order.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is going to have some awfully tough choices to make when he’s tasked with whittling down his team’s 90-man offseason roster to the 53 players who’ll form the squad in Week 1.

Almost equally as tough will be deciding the depth chart, figuring out which players should start and which ones are pegged as backups.

Two weeks of training camp have provided some answers. A crowded defensive line and cornerback room have left some of the fringe players on the outside, looking in, despite some strong showings here and there. Likewise, the pecking order at wide receiver and running back should be interesting to monitor, too.

While there have been plenty of risers during camp so far, let’s flip the script and take a look at five players who are falling behind in their respective depth chart battles.

49ers training camp faller No. 5: OL Justin Skule

Earlier this offseason, the Niners seemed poised to give fourth-year offensive lineman Justin Skule as many reps as possible to seize the swing-tackle role behind starters, Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey.

As far as camp is concerned, though, Skule has been inconsistent, winning the occasional one-on-one rep and matching a modest day in team drills with ones where he’s vastly underperformed. And San Francisco has been poised to rotate its backup tackles in response:

Sure, the 49ers watching fellow lineman Jaylon Moore suffer a leg strain should make it easier on Skule to secure a key spot. But in the wake of the Niners adding veteran lineman Jordan Mills re-crowds the depth chart.

Right now, Skule has to be viewed solely on the fringes of the roster, and he’s no longer the prime candidate to support both Williams and McGlinchey as the primary swing tackle.