5 San Francisco 49ers who won’t make 53-man roster in 2024
Too bad that teams can only keep 53 players on a regular-season roster instead of the 90 they carry during the offseason and in training camp.
By Peter Panacy
There isn't a lot of room for fringe players on the 49ers roster entering 2024, and these five are already in danger of missing the cut.
The San Francisco 49ers enter 2024 with one of the NFL's most talented rosters and one that boasts very few holes and weaknesses.
Simply put, it'll be tough for fringe players to make the 53-man roster.
There's a long, long way to go before head coach Kyle Shanahan decides on the best 53 players. The NFL Draft will add bodies, as will undrafted free agency. More player transactions can take place, too, during and in the middle of training camp.
However, knowing what we know about the Niners' current roster as it stands, these five players are already on the outside, looking in.
And, no. We're not talking about players who'll merely be training camp bodies either.
No. 1: Tight end Cameron Latu
It's looking like San Francisco will have another third-round draft whiff on its hands after selecting former Alabama tight end Cameron Latu last year.
Latu struggled mightily in training camp his rookie season before being shelved on an injury list and redshirting the rest of 2023. A combination of poor pass-catching skills and an inability to separate in practice won't bode well for his roster chances this year either.
True, the 49ers' tight end depth chart behind George Kittle is cleared out now, as Charlie Woerner departed via free agency and with Ross Dwelley not likely to be re-signed. That leaves only Latu, Jake Tonges and fellow 2023 rookie Brayden Willis as the only others to back up Kittle.
However, the 2024 draft has plenty of solid tight end prospects the Niners are likely to consider, and any one of those will likely have an equal shot at making the 53-man roster as Latu, assuming Willis is already ahead of him on the depth chart.
Should that transpire, look for Latu's San Francisco tenure to be of the one-and-done variety.
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