OTAs have begun for the San Francisco 49ers, so it will be nice to get a little taste of football during the doldrums of May.
While it’ll be great to see guys in uniform practicing, a few players on the team likely already have one foot out the door ahead of training camp.
There are several players whose future with San Francisco is uncertain. Every year players on the bubble know they may very well be let go and these three players have to know their time with the team may be limited.
Eli Apple
The Niners brought in cornerback Eli Apple last season as a depth piece. He was a former first-round pick with the New York Giants back in the day, but he never quite lived up to expectations.
Apple has bounced around from team to team and has had some decent years, but he's little more than a depth player who probably wouldn’t get much playing time at all if things go according to plan.
Maybe he could be a practice squad guy, but after San Francisco drafted Ephesians Prysock last month, Apple’s time with the team may come to an end soon.
Brayden Willis
The Niners have had tight end Brayden Willis on the roster for several years now. He has yet to catch a pass and has essentially just been a depth player who gets on the active roster if there is an injury.
With George Kittle recovering from his Achilles tear suffered in the playoffs last January, the Niners may hold onto Willis for a bit just so they have an extra body for practice and the preseason.
But once the season starts, it wouldn’t be surprising if undrafted free agent Khalil Dinkins out of Penn State ends up beating out Willis for a spot on the 53-man roster.
Nick Zakelj
Offensive lineman Nick Zakelj has hung around with San Francisco for years now. He has never gotten a ton of playing time outside of the 2024 season, which was mainly due to injuries up front.
He was Brock Purdy’s roommate back when the quarterback couldn’t afford to live on his own as Mr. Irrelevant, so maybe that’s part of why Zakelj has stuck around for so long.
But after the Niners drafted Enrique Cruz Jr., that could spell the end of Zakelj’s time with the 49ers.
Depth players come and go, so it would not be a surprise if these three players are looking for new teams fairly soon.
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