Oh, it must be tough being a fringe player on the weakest side of the roster bubble, especially when your employer underwent massive efforts during the offseason to reinforce your position.
Such is the case for San Francisco 49ers defensive end Tarron Jackson, about whom many fans would probably need a reminder about being on the Niners roster. And it's OK for fans to have forgotten. After all, the 2021 sixth-round NFL Draft choice of the Philadelphia Eagles has yet to play a game for San Francisco after being signed to the practice squad last January to help close out the 2024 regular season.
A lot has changed since then, most of which doesn't bode well for Jackson's chances to hang around in anything other than a practice squad capacity.
The Niners bade farewell to a number of notable defensive linemen, including Leonard Floyd and Javon Hargrave, in the attempt to get both younger and cheaper during the offseason. Yet subsequent draft moves essentially restocked the cupboard, particularly the 11th overall pick used on former Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams. Tack on a post-draft trade with Philly for the edge-rushing Bryce Huff, and Jackson's hopes for turning into a rotational piece at the back end of the depth chart are about as remote as it gets.
Tarron Jackson has slimmest of slim chances to crack 49ers' 53-man roster
Jackson has seemingly been in that fringe-type role for the bulk of his pro career, getting into 17 games his rookie season but then perennially spending time on a practice squad with the occasional regular-season call-up.
Including a brief stint with the Carolina Panthers in 2024, the 6-foot-2 and 254-pound defender has appeared in 24 games, notching 18 tackles and a single sack. After joining the 49ers to close out the 2024 season, he inked a reserve/future contract to hang around into offseason workouts with the remote hope of proverbially "coming out of nowhere" to secure a roster spot.
It won't be easy.
The one-year veteran's minimum deal is worth up to $1.1 million but carries zero in guaranteed money, meaning the Niners can part ways with Jackson without cap ramifications. Yet the true challenge for Jackson will be outshining other fringe edge defenders, such as Yetur Gross-Matos, Robert Beal Jr., Jonathan Garvin and Sam Okuayinonu to stand a chance.
True, Jackson hasn't had extensive tutelage under defensive line coach Kris Kocurek, so a full offseason of that development could do the former Coastal Carolina product some good.
In all likelihood, though, Jackson is a player who'll see some modest field time late in preseason games before being relegated back to relative obscurity.