49ers players who have one last shot vs. Texans to make 53-man roster
By Peter Panacy
No. 2: 49ers tight end Ross Dwelley
It feels weird putting reserve tight end Ross Dwelley on the bubble, especially considering he’s been a solid backup to All-Pro George Kittle dating back to 2019.
Yet Dwelley is now facing some serious competition for a No. 2 or No. 3 spot on the depth chart, particularly in light of the Niners adding veteran Tyler Kroft during the offseason and featuring more of Tanner Hudson during the preseason.
Kittle hasn’t played during the preseason, which is fine. But Hudson has been the primary beneficiary of key plays over the two games so far, including the game-winning touchdown against Green Bay, followed by a team-high five catches for 43 yards against Minnesota.
Dwelley’s chances increased a good bit with the Niners parting ways with Hudson in the second wave of roster cuts, yes. But that’s somewhat offset by the return of third-year pro Charlie Woerner from the physically unable-to-perform list where he started the preseason
Keep in mind that Woerner saw more offensive snaps in 2021 than Dwelley, which could also be an indicator of the 49ers eventually looking to phase Dwelley out if he doesn’t wow against the Texans.