Training camp is right around the corner for the San Francisco 49ers. It is time for young players looking to make a name for themselves to step up, and it's also time for veterans to show they still have a little something left in the tank.
The Niners have both types of players on the roster who are fighting to make the team. These five players may be dark-horse candidates, but if they can prove themselves in training camp, they will have a shot at making the roster after preseason.
WR Junior Bergen
The 49ers drafted Junior Bergen in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft. They really only drafted him to see if they could hit the jackpot on a guy who was promising as a punt and kick returner in college.
Bergen didn't make the team last year and spent the whole year on the practice squad, but this could be the season he has a chance to break through, since San Francisco will have to fill the hole left by Skyy Moore, since he is now with the Green Bay Packers.
Bergen will have competition in the form of Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins, but if the former makes some big plays and flashes his speed in training camp, that could give him momentum to make an even bigger impression in the preseason.
CB Eli Apple
It feels like just yesterday Eli Apple was a first-round pick by the New York Giants, but now he is a soon-to-be 31-year-old veteran fighting to make a roster. He played a little with the Niners last season and did alright but nothing to spend time pondering about.
He has a chance, because after Deommodore Lenoir, there should be some competition. Renardo Green is not a sure thing, which could give a guy like Apple a chance to take his spot or maybe a backup role.
WR Malik Turner
Malik Turner is going to have some stiff competition to make the team because the Niners have lots of wide receivers. If they want to bolster the special teams unit, then they would probably be smart to carry Turner because he made some great plays on special teams last season.
DL Sebastian Valdez
San Francisco signed defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez as an undrafted free agent last year. He did not appear in any games for the Niners, but he impressed in training camp and the preseason.
The Niners like to carry a lot of defensive linemen, so he certainly has a shot to make it with another promising showing in training camp.
S Jalen Stroman
Safety may be the most up-in-the-air position for San Francisco, and undrafted rookie Jalen Stroman out of Notre Dame has a great opportunity to make an impression. He will have to compete with guys like Ji'Ayir Brown, Ashtyn Davis, and Marques Sigle, but with a new defensive coordinator in Raheem Morris, he can impress his new coach who is coming into this competition with fresh eyes.
Training camp may seem boring at times, but it will be anything but that for these five players as they desperately try to prove they belong on San Francisco's roster.
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