The San Francisco 49ers’ preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders gave a few fringe players a chance to make their case, but defensive tackle C.J. West didn’t help himself on Thursday night.
West came away with a team-low 30.0 overall game grade from Pro Football Focus, a number that reflected a rough outing filled with missed tackles, reps where he was driven out of the play and stretches where he simply didn’t show up.
That’s a problem for a second-year pro who arrived with plenty of buzz a year ago as an interior pocket wrecker. So far, his run in San Francisco hasn’t matched the hype, and this latest performance only adds to the pressure on his spot.
The concern isn’t just one bad game, either. West has also had a shaky training camp, and his preseason work hasn’t done much to calm any doubts. When a defensive tackle keeps getting handled by third- and fourth-string blockers, it’s fair to wonder how much runway is left.
San Francisco has also made moves that complicate West’s path. The trade for veteran Osa Odighizuwa and the drafting of Gracen Halton both changed the interior picture and put West closer to the edge. Alfred Collins, another second-year defensive tackle, has also had a quiet preseason, but the 49ers are likely to be more patient with him because he was a second-round pick.
That leaves West in a precarious spot, and it would not be a surprise if the 2025 fourth-round pick becomes part of the team’s pre-Week 1 roster cuts.
There is one thing keeping him afloat for now: injuries. San Francisco is dealing with some bumps on the interior of its defensive line, and both Collins and Halton were nicked up during camp and the preseason. The 49ers may not want to lean on undrafted rookie Bryson Eason or a player on the fringe like Sebastian Valdez if they don’t have to.
That could buy West a little more time. But once Collins and Halton are fully healthy, his future looks far less secure.
What made West appealing a year ago is still part of the conversation, but the bottom line is hard to ignore: he doesn’t look like a major piece of the 49ers’ defensive line rotation right now. And if the team decides it has seen enough, that call could come with roster cuts.
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