49ers' final 53-man roster projection (with 2023 season around the corner)

49ers' Specialists (3)

K Jake Moody

P Mitch Wishnowsky

LS Taybor Pepper

This is where the weirdest roster decisions must be made.

Yes, in the specialists category.

Most of that comes down to the fact that both kickers on the current 90-man roster — rookie Jake Moody and veteran Zane Gonzalez — sustained injuries prior to the preseason finale against the Chargers, Moody during practice and Gonzalez during pregame warmups.

Gonzalez was on his way out, but it's probable that the 49ers kept him around all through the offseason not just because of his veteran presence to aid the rookie, but also in the hopes that a team in desperate need of a kicker would send a late-round pick to trade for him.

The irony is palpable here.

Moody is considered questionable for Week 1, which is still a little less than two weeks away, but the 49ers are on the lookout for kickers who might be able to fill the void if the rookie can't go. Either way, Moody will make the team, since the only thing worse than drafting a kicker in the third round is letting him go during initial roster cuts.

The other two guys here — punter Mitch Wishnowsky and long snapper Taybor Pepper — are in no such trouble.

And so the 49ers will have their initial 53-man roster set on Tuesday. Come back here to check and see how this projection panned out.

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