Training camp is roughly halfway done and the 49ers are getting ready to head out to Las Vegas for joint practices and a preseason game with the Raiders. That means there's still plenty of time for players to make noise in an attempt to secure a roster spot.
The tricky part is that the 49ers don't really have a lot of holes in what is a top-5 overall roster in the eyes of most pundits. And with quarterback Brock Purdy starting training camp as a full participant, most of the drama has been sucked from that particular position battle.
There are certainly some questions to answer as the Niners continue through the rest of training camp and the preseason, but there's a case to be made that this is one of the strongest rosters that San Francisco has fielded since head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch joined the franchise.
With all that said, however, there's still intrigue at positions of depth and seeing where the scales will tip for various position groups, which leads us to yet another 53-man roster projection.
The joint practices with the Raiders will be the first major litmus test for a lot of these players, but some have already done the work to set themselves apart from others on the current roster.
So let's dive into the projection, starting, of course, with the most important position in sports: the quarterbacks.
49ers Quarterbacks (3)
QB Brock Purdy
QB Trey Lance
QB Sam Darnold
Much has been made of not only Purdy being cleared for practice and not being placed on the PUP list to start training camp, but also of the battle behind the presumed starter.
Purdy is not a full-go yet, allowing Lance and Darnold, and even Brandon Allen, to get a decent chunk of reps when the second-year quarterback is resting his surgically-repaired elbow. This has led to a host of questions surrounding which quarterbacks will end up as Purdy's direct backup and even whether Shanahan should opt to keep four signal-callers on the final roster.
While that last question seems an easy one to answer, the battle to be QB2 isn't quite so clear cut. And depending on who you ask, you'll get a different answer as to which of the two best options is currently winning the battle.
For our purposes, the order isn't really that important and may even be fluid as the season goes along anyway. Suffice it to say: Shanahan will keep three quarterbacks, Brock Purdy is the starter until he proves he isn't, and Lance and Darnold will, in one order or another, be the backups.
I'm sure the 49ers would love to keep Allen around, but the likelihood is that as soon as they cut him he'll get picked up elsewhere. If he manages to clear waivers, expect him to be back, if he's up for it, on the practice squad.
49ers Running Backs (5)
HB Christian McCaffrey
HB Elijah Mitchell
HB Jordan Mason
HB Tyrion Davis-Price
FB Kyle Juszczyk
There's very little intrigue to be had here.
Christian McCaffrey, who the 49ers traded for midseason last year from Carolina, will be one of the key focal points in Shanahan's offense both in the running game and out in space in the passing game. Elijah Mitchell, provided he can stay healthy, will be his direct backup and hopefully help to avoid some of the wear and tear problems that led to a checkered injury past with the Panthers for McCaffrey.
Jordan Mason showed himself to be one of Shanahan's trusted agents, getting carries over Davis-Price, a rookie the 49ers drafted in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, when Mitchell was down and the Niners wanted to spell McCaffrey later in the year.
Expect both to be back, especially because Davis-Price has shown management something in the early days of minicamp and training camp this offseason.
And then, of course, Juszczyk remains the one-and-only fullback option for this team, a position he's held down for the entirety of the Shanahan/Lynch regime thus far.
One name to watch is undrafted rookie Khalan Laborn who has turned some heads in training camp so far. The problem for Laborn is the numbers crunch, as he'll have to at least one quality incumbent to make this team.
49ers Wide Receivers (6)
WR Deebo Samuel
WR Brandon Aiyuk
WR Ray-Ray McLoud
WR Jauan Jennings
WR Danny Gray
WR Ronnie Bell
The top of this group is as good as pairing as there is in the league, with Deebo Samuel looking to shake off a self-proclaimed bad season in 2022 and Brandon Aiyuk seeking to build upon his first ever 1000 yard season and breakout as a top receiver in the NFL.
By all accounts, Aiyuk has been the star of the show in training camp so far, which suggests that the 49ers will continue to have one of the league's most dynamic receiving units.
Beyond those two, there are some interesting battles to watch out for.
Ray-Ray McLoud made a massive impact on the 49ers' return game last year, so it feels highly likely that he'll remain with the team, even if he doesn't really crack the rotation as a wide receiver on offense very often.
Jauan Jennings is back on a one-year Exclusive Rights Free Agent tender and will be aiming for more consistency in his third NFL season to earn himself a longterm deal next offseason, either with the 49ers or elsewhere. That should keep him on the roster and make him extra motivated.
After that, there are a number of players who could be in the mix, including veterans like Chris Conley and Willie Snead, younger guys like Dazz Newsome and undrafted rookie Isaiah Winstead, and recent draft picks Danny Gray from the 2022 draft and Ronnie Bell from the most recent draft.
For now, I'm going with the younger guys, mostly because they will be more willing to step in on special teams and Bell might be able to supplant McLoud at some point in the return game. Conley feels like the veteran who could end up on the roster, as he's having a solid camp, but he could also be one that could slip onto the practice squad after roster cuts.
49ers Tight Ends (4)
TE George Kittle
TE Charlie Woerner
TE Cameron Latu
TE Brayden Willis
As I have it here, this is an interesting group.
It features one of the league's best tight ends in former All-Pro George Kittle, a player heading into the final year of his rookie deal that has never really cemented himself as an offensive weapon in Charlie Woerner, and then the 49ers' two 2023 draft picks at the position in Cameron Latu (3rd round) and Brayden Willis (7th round).
There is no comparing any of these guys to Kittle, but Willis has shown some interesting pass-catching skills and athleticism during his college career to suggest that he could be the most likely of the three behind Kittle to provide some offensive spark.
Latu is still learning the position, having moved there from defensive end while in college at Alabama, and while he could eventually blossom, the learning curve will be steep.
The 49ers have been searching for a quality pass-catcher to pair with Kittle and create a two-head-monster at tight end for years to no avail. While it doesn't appear they've found one at face value, Willis will be the one to watch, as he's a guy with the tools to do it.
Because of that, I think he forces the 49ers hand and makes them keep him around.
49ers Offensive Lineman (8)
LT Trent Williams
LG Aaron Banks
C Jake Brendel
RG Spencer Burford
RT Colton McKivitz
OT Matt Pryor
OG/C Jon Feliciano
OL Nick Zakelj or Jason Poe
At this point in training camp, there isn't a lot of buzz around the offensive line because the pads just went on this week and that's when they can really begin to analyze what they have at the position.
Suffice it to say, the starting unit seems pretty well set, with Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Spencer Burford, and Colton McKivitz in place, especially with early returns on McKitiz at right tackle coming up positive. Burford will have to continue to grow in what is now a full-time gig at right guard with Daniel Brunskill gone.
The depth is more questionable, especially at center, so look for veteran utility interior guy Jon Feliciano to lock in a roster spot because of his versatility.
As far as the swing tackle goes, there seem to be struggles there, too, and with Jaylon Moore getting carted off the field on Tuesday, that only becomes a more interesting battle to watch. Veteran free agent signing Matt Pryor gets the nod for now.
Behind them are project guys in former college tackle Nick Zakelj, who is struggling in the transition to center so far, and Jason Poe, who spent last season on the practice squad and may end up doing so again. The final spot may come down to one of the two.
49ers Defensive Lineman (11)
EDGE Nick Bosa
DT Javon Hargrave
DT Arik Armstead
EDGE Drake Jackson
DT Javon Kinlaw
DT T.Y McGill
DT Kevin Givens
EDGE Robert Beal
EDGE Clelin Ferrell
DT Kalia Davis
EDGE Taco Charlton
It's a broken record, but the starters here seem fairly well set, particularly the trio of Bosa, Hargrave, and Armstead, although the question of who lines up opposite the reigning Defensive Player of the Year remains to be seen. It's likely a fluid situation anyway.
Locks to make the roster beyond those three would be Javon Kinlaw, who is impressing so far in training camp; Drake Jackson, who probably has the first crack at being the main EDGE rusher opposite Bosa; and T.Y McGill and Kevin Givens, two inside guys who have shown themselves to be valuable rotational pieces in the past.
After that come question marks.
Rookie Robert Beal is already making noise in camp and should make the roster as a situational pass rusher, especially because getting him to pass through waivers to get him on the practice squad seems unlikely.
Then there's 2022 draft pick Kalia Davis who essentially redshirted last year after a late-season ACL tear at UFC but will probably make this team as another late-round interior depth guy.
It makes sense for the 49ers to add EDGE depth from there and it could come in the form of several reclamation projects the team currently has on the roster, namely Clelin Ferrell, Austin Bryant, and newly-signed Taco Charlton, two first-round busts (Ferrell and Charlton) and a mid-round pick that never put everything together.
Those two spots are currently penciled in for Ferrell and Charlton due to pedigree, but Bryant, or even a guy like Kerry Hyder, could step in and take the spot from either one.
49ers Linebackers (4)
LB Fred Warner
LB Dre Greenlaw
LB Oren Burks
LB Dee Winters
Stop me if you've heard this one: the 49ers main starters for this position group are as cemented as any they have on the roster. Those two, of course, are former All-Pro Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, who, if healthy, will be on the field for essentially every 49ers' defensive snap this season.
Two questions arise from there.
First, who takes over for now-Titans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair as the third linebacker in base downs?
Oren Burks stepped in when called upon last season, but he was signed to lead the special teams unit and I'm sure the 49ers wouldn't mind if someone else stepped up in his place, namely rookie Dee Winters who is being described as a similar player to Greenlaw, a former mid-round draft pick who has made himself a top-notch NFL player.
Both of those players should make the roster, but that leads to the second question: will they keep a fifth linebacker and, if so, who will it be?
While there are plenty of options, including 2023 7th-round draft pick Jalen Graham, and veterans like Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Curtis Robinson, the name that keeps coming to me over and over is Marcelino McCrary-Ball, a converted safety who has the ball skills to play as a third linebacker when called upon but should also make for a menace on special teams.
Unfortunatley, there may not be room on this talented roster, although watch for the 49ers to keep at least two linebackers like McCrary-Ball on the practice squad.
49ers Cornerbacks (5)
CB Charvarious Ward
CB Deommodore Lenoir
CB Isaiah Oliver
CB Darrell Luter, Jr
CB Sam Womack
Another position, another set of locks at starting positions, with Charvarious Ward and Deommodore Lenoir holding down the outside and Isaiah Oliver appearing to be settling in as the 49ers' nickelback.
Depth, as always, is the big question.
The team really likes Darrell Luter, their 2023 5th round pick out of South Alabama, who could prove valuable due to his ability to play both inside and outside cornerback positions. Then there's Sam Womack, who likely becomes the direct backup to Oliver in the slot.
After that, it's a numbers game, and while they may want to keep another guy for depth purposes, in this scenario it doesn't work out. If they do, Ambry Thomas and Qwauntrezz Knight are the first two candidates for a sixth spot.
49ers Safeties (4)
SS Talanoa Hufanga
FS Tashaun Gipson
S Ji'Ayir Brown
S George Odum
Another fairly simple one.
Talanoa Hufanga is entrenched as one starter and Tashaun Gipson is probably only here if he's the starter next to the 2023 All-Pro like he was last season. If he's supplanted by rookie Ji'Ayir Brown out of Penn State, then things get very interesting.
George Odum is pretty well locked in, too, as a key special teamer, but if Brown slides into a starting role, look for former Panther and defensive coordinator Steve Wilkes favorite, Myles Hartsfield to get a shot to make this team.
49ers Specialists (3)
K Jake Moody
P Mitch Wishnowsky
LS Taybor Pepper
I rescind my earlier comment: this is the easiest group to pick of the lot.
Jake Moody better make this team or there is a major issue. Punter Mitch Wishnowsky just signed an extension last season, so he'll be in town for a few more years. And long snapper Taybor Pepper has provided stability for the unit since his arrival.
Final thoughts
As noted, the 49ers have one of the stronger rosters in the NFL, so that means there aren't a lot of question marks here. But those places where they do exist should make for some very interesting battles through the rest of training camp and the preseason.