The 49ers brought in two undrafted defensive tackles with real paths to the roster, and early in camp, Bryson Eason and James Thompson are making the kind of noise that gets attention fast.
Both rookies landed in a crowded interior line room, stuck behind a deeper group of rushers when camp opened. But injuries and absences have opened windows, and the two have started to take advantage of them. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris has already praised their ability to contribute, which is no small thing this early.
None of this means the picture is settled. Morris also made it clear there is still plenty left to sort out, and the next few days could make life more difficult for the pair.
Alfred Collins began the year on the PUP list, creating a spot on the depth chart, but he is back at practice now. CJ West then missed time after Collins returned, though West is not expected to miss significant time and his place on the depth chart is not in danger.
Grace Halton is in a tougher spot. He has missed significant time with a lower body injury, and that has slowed his development at a stage when every rep matters. That said, Halton was a fourth-round pick, and the two players pressing him are the undrafted rookies.
That gives Halton more room for error than Eason or Thompson, and it will take more time for the two UDFAs to push him. They are also competing with veteran Kevin Givens and former UDFA Sebastian Valdez, who entered the league in 2025 and brings a bit more experience than the other two.
Givens has the edge in years and know-how, but if the younger players keep flashing more upside, the 49ers will have to weigh that carefully.
Eason played at Tennessee, while Thompson came out of Illinois. Both were invited to the NFL Combine, and both came into the league with legitimate draft hopes before ultimately signing as two of the top undrafted free agents in the class.
It is still early, but both have looked like players who could have heard their names called in the draft. The real question now is where they end up on the depth chart.
In Other News...
49ers Still Hunting For Pass Rush Help After Latest Workouts
The 49ers are still doing their homework on the edge, bringing in Andre Carter II, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo and Xavier Thomas for workouts as they look to add some depth to the defensive line. Each brings a little different background to the table, with Okoronkwo having spent time with the Eagles and other teams, Carter having been with the Vikings and Raiders, and Thomas previously getting looks from the Cardinals and Texans.
For San Francisco, the interest makes sense given how often the pass rush drives the defenses ceiling. These latest evaluations suggest the team is keeping its options open and weighing whether one of these three can give the front a needed boost, even if the final call is still to come. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Fans Were Right To Panic Over Mike Evans For A Moment
A brief wave of panic rolled through 49ers circles when a report started making the rounds claiming Mike Evans had suffered a hamstring injury and would be out for the rest of training camp. Given how often San Francisco has had to manage health concerns in its receiver room, it did not take much for the rumor to feel believable, and the speed at which it spread said plenty about how jumpy the fan base has become.
The problem, of course, is that the report never had any real footing. It traced back to a parody account and was quickly exposed as false, with no credible reporter or 49ers source confirming any injury to Evans and no announcement from the team suggesting a setback. For a few minutes it looked like another camp setback had arrived in Santa Clara, but the alarm has since been lowered. [Read more 🡒]