The San Francisco 49ers are operating under the assumption that they won't have the comically bad injury luck they sat through in the 2024 season, which could put Kyle Shanahan right back in the league's upper tier.
San Francisco may have some tough decision to make when it comes to finalizing who will and will not be on the 53-man roster. Even though there are some players who will start the season on the PUP list, not every fan favorite will get their spot secured as a result.
This Niners roster projection may leave out some players the fanbase knows and likes, but it is the best collection of talent this team could go into 2025 with.
49ers RB Jeff Wilson likely will not make 53-man roster
Quarterback (2): Brock Purdy, Mac Jones
This is the easiest position to visualize. Purdy will start, Jones will back him up, and seventh-round draft pick Kurtis Rourke will likely stick around on the practice squad.
Running Back (5): Christian McCaffrey, Kyle Juszczyk, Isaac Guerendo, Jordan James, Patrick Taylor
McCaffrey and Juszczyk are still two of the best at what they do. Guerendo has shown that he can be a productive big-play back in this league, and James has been very impressive in camp. There isn't a spot for Wilson, who impressed under Shanahan in the past.
Wide Receiver (6): Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, Russell Gage PUP: Brandon Aiyuk
Aiyuk is likely going to be sidelined for the first few games of the season, which will put Jennings and former first-round pick Pearsall in the spotlight. Cowing and Watkins are two enticing young players Shanahan could integrate into the offense alongside camp standout Gage.
Tight End (4): George Kittle, Luke Farrell, Brayden Willis, Ross Dwelley
Kittle is a dominant starting right end, and Farrell seems to have taken ownership of the backup role. Willis and Dwelley can both stick around as blockers, as San Francisco is one of the few teams in the leagu who can justify keeping four tight ends.
Offensive Line (9): Trent Williams, Ben Bartch, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Spencer Burford, Nick Zakelj, Connor Colby, Matt Hennessey
Even though the starting offensive line is fairly set in stone, the 49ers may need to keep more depth than they originally planned after an injury to Andre Dillard left them thinner at the tackle spots.
Defensive Tackle (5): Jordan Elliott, Alfred Collins, CJ West, Sebastian Valdez, Kalia Davis PUP: Kevin Givens
If Givens is not ready to go, either Collins or West may end up starting despite the fact that neither of them has been particularly impressive in practice.
Edge Rusher (5): Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Bryce Huff, Yetur Gross-Matos, Robert Beal Jr.
If Williams is as good as advertised, and Huff returns to the form he showcased with the Jets, Bosa's star power can turn this group into an above-average unit.
Linebacker (5): Fred Warner, Dee Winters, Nick Martin, Luke Gifford, Tatum Bethune
Warner is the best linebacker in the game, which can make up for a unit that has been devastated by the loss of Dre Greenlaw.
Cornerback (5): Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Darrell Luter Jr., Tre Brown
Lenoir's rise to the elite tier across the NFL defensive back landscape is much needed, because the lack of depth at this position is so alarming that a rookie like Stout is going to be in a prominent role.
Safety (4): Ji'Ayir Brown, Jason Pinnock, Richie Grant, Marques Sigle PUP: Malik Mustapha
Mustapha is going to start the year injured, but Pinnock has put together enough to earn a starting role next to Brown. Sigle has the potential to become a core special teamer.
Special Teams (3): Jake Moody, Thomas Morstead, Jon Weeks
It will take a major choke job for any one of these three to lose their spot as a starter.