49ers pre-training camp 53-man roster prediction: Who survives cuts?

49ers' Defensive Line

EDGE Nick Bosa

EDGE Leonard Floyd

DT Javon Hargrave

DT Maliek Collins

DL Yetur Gross-Matos

DL Jordan Elliott

EDGE Robert Beal, Jr

EDGE Drake Jackson

DT Kevin Givens

DT Evan Anderson

This is always the largest group the 49ers keep on the roster, largely because they value rotation so much along the defensive line.

It's also the group with the biggest turnover from last season. Gone are defensive tackles Arik Armstead and Javon Kinlaw along with edge rushers Chase Young and Randy Gregory. In their place are free agent editions in the form of defensive tackles Maliek Collins and Jordan Elliott, edge Leonard Floyd, and defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos.

The hope is that this updated unit will inject some life to the pass rush and improve the run defense that was this team's Achilles heel, especially later in the season. If they can do that, it will go a long way in helping the defense to continue its reign among the best in the league.

But the long and the short of things is that they need better production from incumbants, too. Neither Nick Bosa nor Javon Hargrave had his strongest year in 2024, and for this group to thrive, it will need both veterans, especially Bosa, to be great again.

Not to mention Drake Jackson, who is heading into a make-or-break campaign after season-ending knee surgery last year. He needs to show why he was a second round draft pick three years ago.

The surprise here is undrafted rookie Evan Anderson, who the 49ers treated as a priority after the draft in April. He's the type of player the 49ers have successfully turned from UDFA into a solid contributor in the past.