49ers roster: 4 players who won’t make it through rest of 2022

No. 2: 49ers defensive tackle Kevin Givens

There are a number of fringe players on any roster who are easy to root for, and 49ers depth defensive tackle Kevin Givens certainly has to be one of them.

In 2020, Givens made his first notable impact, stepping up on what was then an injury-plagued Niners defensive line, and he shone with a sack, three quarterback hits and five tackles for a loss over 13 games that year.

With defensive tackles Arik Armstead (foot) and Javon Kinlaw (knee) missing substantial time this season, Givens has again been called upon to shore up the depth chart, starting every week from Week 3 through to the bye.

So, why won’t Givens make it through to the end of the regular season?

San Francisco is anticipating Armstead’s return, so much to the point that it hasn’t used an injury-list designation on the crucial starter. Kinlaw, meanwhile, is on injured reserve but could potentially return.

And if he does, it’s likely Givens is an odd man out, mainly because of his minimal contractual impact and the presence of other veteran depth members on the roster.