The San Francisco 49ers have had occasional luck grabbing players from B-level football leagues.
Perhaps the most famous, quarterback Jeff Garcia, found his footing after a stint north of the border in the CFL. More recently, offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill became a Niners mainstay after his tenure in the now-defunct AAFL.
Perhaps former UFL defensive lineman Jonathan Garvin follows a similar trajectory.
The 2020 seventh-round NFL Draft choice of the Green Bay Packers was a quick pickup by San Francisco in August of 2024 after his contract with the Birmingham Stallions ended. Having won a UFL championship, Garvin at least has that pedigree going for him.
But, will the 6-foot-4 and 257-pound defender have a shot at cracking the 49ers' 53-man roster after spending his first season in the Bay Area bouncing on and off their practice squad?
Jonathan Garvin is a long shot (but it's hopeless) to make 49ers' 53-man roster
The Niners' primary offseason goal was to overhaul their defense, specifically the defensive line. In the wake of parting ways with aging and largely ineffective veterans, the subsequent drafting of three D-linemen -- Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins and C.J. West -- indicate head coach Kyle Shanahan and Co. are embracing change.
While Garvin doesn't appear to be favored in the wide-sweeping roster moves, he at least has a bit more fluid a context to make a name for himself between now and Week 1.
One key move that's of note is San Francisco parting ways with longtime practice squad lineman Alex Barrett, a player who never quite did enough to crack the 53-man roster but nevertheless managed to stick around in some capacity or another.
Garvin's pre-draft scouting report listed him as a 4-3 edge-type player, meaning he might be favored to assume Barrett's spot on the depth chart entering training camp.
Sure, the additions of Williams and edge Bryce Huff push Garvin way down in the pecking order. But, all it might take is a key injury or two during camp to one of the many more-established edge defenders to give the former Miami Hurricane a shot at increased reps.
Those reps are likely to come, though, albeit in limited fashion.
Signed to a reserve/future contract last January, the 49ers aren't overly committed to Garvin, financially. However, if he winds up balling out in the latter portion of preseason games, it might be too difficult to let him go with the hope of renaming him to the practice squad.
And that might be the best outcome possible for the former UFL standout.