The 49ers’ linebacker room is crowded enough that even a player who helped them survive last season’s injury mess could still end up on the outside looking in.
Garret Wallow is the kind of name that can sneak onto a roster when things get ugly. San Francisco picked him up after the Denver Broncos moved on from him last season, and he gave the team useful snaps when it needed them most. In the regular season, he finished with just four combined tackles, but injuries pushed him into both playoff starts, and he responded with 12 tackles.
That kind of emergency value matters. It just may not be enough to crack a depth chart that already has a lot of bodies ahead of him.
Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw are the obvious top two, as long as they’re healthy. Tatum Bethune looks positioned for the next spot after stepping in effectively for Warner last season. Luke Gifford also feels like a strong bet to stick because of what he brings on special teams.
From there, the math gets tight. San Francisco usually carries only five or six linebackers on the 53-man roster, which leaves little room for everyone else fighting for a spot.
Nick Martin had an underwhelming rookie season, but the 49ers may not be ready to move on yet. Jaden Dugger, the freshly drafted linebacker, has already earned some early praise and could bring versatility on defense.
Jalen Graham is part of the mix too, though he looks like a possible cut candidate after not producing much early in his career.
So Wallow is probably battling Martin for what could be the final opening, or he could wind up back on the practice squad, which would fit his career path. Still, if he turns heads in camp and the preseason, he has a real shot to stick.
Most of his value would likely come on special teams, but after what happened last season, the 49ers know how fast a linebacker room can get stripped down. That alone makes Wallow worth keeping around.
In Other News...
49ers May Have Found An Unexpected Brandon Aiyuk Escape Hatch
Brandon Aiyuks latest social media note gave the 49ers a little more clarity, even if it did not fully settle the picture. After weeks of uncertainty around his status, the wide receiver signaled that he is focused on getting back on the field this season, and that matters for San Francisco because his situation has been hanging over the roster like an unfinished piece of business.
If Aiyuk does not file for reinstatement, the 49ers may be able to keep him on the Left Squad List, which would let him remain attached to the team without counting against the roster or salary cap. It is a potential escape hatch for a front office that has been trying to avoid a forced move, but the situation is still unresolved and the next step will determine whether this becomes a clean workaround or just another twist in a messy standoff. [Read more 🡒]
Brandon Aiyuk Finally Spoke On Why He Is Done With The 49ers
Brandon Aiyuk finally put his side of the contract dispute with the 49ers into words, and it only added another layer to a situation that has been hanging over the team for months. In a statement, the receiver said San Francisco voided his contract guarantees, turning a private standoff into a public one and leaving one of the franchises most important offensive pieces in an uneasy spot as he tries to move forward.
Aiyuk said his focus is on getting back on the field this season, but the relationship damage is obvious, especially with the dispute now spilling beyond the 49ers and into social media chatter as well. For a team that has spent plenty of time managing star contracts and roster drama, the unresolved part is not just what happened behind the scenes, but where Aiyuk goes from here with San Francisco still in the picture. [Read more 🡒]
49ers May Already Have Their Next Answer At Center
Jake Brendel has been a steady presence in the middle of the 49ers' offensive line, but the veteran center is now in a contract year at 34, which naturally puts the position back under the microscope. San Francisco has long valued stability at center, and Kyle Shanahan has typically leaned toward experienced options there, so any transition would have to be earned rather than assumed.
Drake Nugent gives the 49ers a younger name to watch as camp and preseason unfold. The undrafted rookie has already put himself in the mix for a roster spot, and if he keeps building on that momentum, he could push his way into the conversation as Brendel's eventual successor while the team weighs its longer-term options at one of the most important spots on the line. [Read more 🡒]