The 49ers have their 53-man roster set, but not every name on it is there because fans are eager to see them take real snaps in 2026. Some are there for depth, some for special teams, and some because the team would be in a bad spot if they were forced into bigger roles.
Colby is one of the clearest examples. He had started for San Francisco last year, but that came only because of injury.
Once Spencer Burford returned, the 49ers benched him. This season, Colby got the first shot in the starting left guard battle, but by the end of it he was working only at right guard.
The trade for Jarrett Patterson changed the picture even more, since Patterson would get left guard work over Colby by all accounts. If Colby is on the field, it likely means Dominick Puni got hurt.
Cruz is a different case. He has the kind of size, speed, strength and explosiveness teams dream about, but the preseason made it clear he is nowhere near ready for NFL action.
The 49ers had to keep him because of the talent and because he was a fifth-round pick, and he’ll keep getting opportunities at his age. But if he had to play right now, that would be a serious problem for San Francisco.
Austen Pleasants is already on IR, Vederian Lowe is working back from an ankle sprain, and the 49ers need Trent Williams healthy.
Bethune is another player the 49ers value, even if fans would rather not have to rely on him. He earned his spot through hard work and made it impossible for the team to let him go once the roster started tightening up around him.
Still, his presence on the field would point to trouble. He backs up Fred Warner, handles the MIKE spot, and wears the green dot when Warner is out.
Bethune is a solid player, but he is not Warner, and if Warner goes down, the season is in trouble.
The same idea applies to Cowing and Neal, though both are expected to factor mostly on special teams. If Cowing is seeing meaningful time at receiver, then a good chunk of the wideout room is hurt.
Neal is entering his second year with the team and still doesn’t really have a settled position. For now, he’s best viewed as a special teams piece.
In Other News...
49ers Now Face A Bigger Jed York Problem Than The Arrest
Jed Yorks arrest in Ohio may have grabbed the headlines, but inside the 49ers building the more immediate issue is how the team keeps moving with its principal owner operating at a reduced level. General manager John Lynch said the club is preparing for any possible league discipline while also adjusting to a leadership structure that has shifted more of the day-to-day football load toward executive Al Guido, even as the team insists the locker room and football operations have not been disrupted.
For San Francisco, the test is bigger than the legal fallout itself because ownership presence matters during a season, especially for a franchise that has spent years trying to keep its football side steady. The 49ers have tried to project calm publicly, but Yorks absence from the usual rhythm of the operation leaves a different kind of question hanging over the organization: not what happened in Ohio, but how long the team can keep functioning as if nothing has changed. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Australia Plan Could Create A Huge Rams Debate
The NFLs first regular-season game in Australia has already created a contrast in approach, with the Rams and 49ers set to meet in Melbourne on Sept. 10. Los Angeles plans a quick turnaround, arriving the day before the game and heading out right after, while San Francisco is taking a more measured route by getting there several days early to deal with the time change.
That difference has opened the door to an interesting travel debate, especially with neurologist W. Christopher Winter saying the Rams shorter stay may actually be the better way to handle jet lag. For the 49ers, the bigger question is whether the extra days on the ground will help them settle in overseas or end up making the trip feel longer than it needs to be. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Have A Tempting O-Line Possibility They May Not Afford
The 49ers search for stability at left guard has made Quenton Nelson look like the kind of rare upgrade that would instantly change the conversation up front. The Indianapolis Colts still have not reached an extension with the three-time All-Pro, and the talks are currently stagnant, which is enough to get any team with an opening on the interior offensive line at least thinking about a move.
San Francisco is one of the clubs that naturally comes up in that discussion because the spot remains a weakness, but the fit is not so simple. Salary cap constraints and the teams other priorities make a deal for Nelson look unlikely right now, even if the talent level would be hard to ignore for a 49ers front office that knows how valuable dominant play inside can be. [Read more 🡒]