The San Francisco 49ers finally have their 53-man roster, and the biggest early twist is that Rourke made it. The only real debate there was whether the team would stash him on Injured Reserve or keep him on the active roster, and the answer came down in his favor because he was healthy enough to stick.
From there, the roster mostly settled into place, though there are still a few moving parts beneath the surface.
At running back, the 49ers went with Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, Jordan James and Kyle Juszczyk. Isaac Guerendo landing on the PUP list and the top three backs returning to practice took most of the drama out of the room.
One thing worth watching: Jordan James handled punts and kicks in the preseason finale, which looked like a test run for a special teams role. Kaelon Black did not play special teams, which points to him being the RB2 if there was any lingering doubt.
The wide receiver group includes Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, De’Zhaun Stribling, Jacob Cowing, Demarcus Robinson and Jordan Watkins. Cowing earned his spot with that 83-yard punt return in Week 2 of the preseason, and the next question was whether Watkins would stay and Christian Kirk would become an IR stash.
The answer was Watkins and Cowing. Watkins could end up on kick coverage or return duty, and that’s a spot where Deebo excels.
At tight end, the 49ers kept George Kittle, Luke Farrell, Jake Tonges and Brayden Willis. There was some noise Sunday morning about Kittle’s status, but Adam Schefter shot that down and said Kittle is still in line to play in Week 1.
That matters a lot for this offense. Willis making the roster now feels like insurance in case Kittle isn’t ready.
The offensive line group is Trent Williams, Carver Willis, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Jarrett Patterson, Vederian Lowe, Enrique Cruz Jr. and Connor Colby. Patterson is being treated as a depth addition, but he brings more experience than Carver Willis and has spent multiple seasons in the Niners’ scheme under Bobby Slowik.
That leaves open the possibility that the team gives Patterson a look as a starter if they decide Willis isn’t ready. Even if Willis holds up, Patterson remains a real option.
The 49ers also had to sort through Connor Colby and Enrique Cruz, with Vederian Lowe’s health potentially affecting Cruz and Brett Toth’s situation impacting Colby. Toth will start the season on IR.
The defensive line features Nick Bosa, Osa Odighizuwa, Alfred Collins, Sam Okuayinonu, Romello Height, Gracen Halton, CJ West, Keion White and James Thompson Jr. Bosa and Odighizuwa are going to carry a huge load here, because the rest of the group is young and mostly unproven. The team is going to learn quickly who can play and how much development is still needed.
Thompson Jr. earned his place. He posted the fifth-highest win percentage in the preseason among all defensive tackles in true pass sets at 30 percent, and he made the most of the opportunity.
He’s a massive body who should be able to help as a role player while he learns under Kris Kocurek. The defensive tackle rotation is likely to stay fluid for a while.
And there’s still a chance the 49ers re-sign Ogbo Okonkwo if they decide they can’t add another body after waivers settle.
At linebacker, the 49ers kept Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Jaden Dugger, Luke Gifford, Tatum Bethune, Garret Wallow and Nick Martin. Gifford and Martin were the key questions because both are dealing with injuries.
Gifford hasn’t been seen since the first week of August, and Martin’s injury came late in the second preseason game. The question was whether both would go on IR and free up roster spots for another linebacker, but for now they’re both on the roster.
That could still change this week. Bethune looks like a core special-teams player, and Kyle Shanahan praised him last year when Bethune filled in for Fred Warner.
He’s a strong run defender, too.
The cornerback group was largely what you’d expect, with little room for surprises. Jakob Robinson and Siran Neal were the names who could have pushed their way in, and Neal’s special teams value matters a lot.
Still, Nate Hobbs making the roster says the 49ers weren’t ready to give up on him even though he missed all of training camp and the preseason. Hobbs and Prysock could both end up on IR this week.
At safety, the 49ers kept Ji’Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle and Malik Mustapha. Ashtyn Davis was the only other real possibility, and he was released even though he would have been a special teams piece.
The competition never really took off after Mustapha missed most of the month. He wasn’t locked in as a starter, but he was in the rotation.
The lone special teams spot went to Eddy Pineiro. If the preseason is any indication, the 49ers may have their best punter-kicker combination under this regime.
The team waived punter Corliss Waitman and long snapper Jon Weeks, but this is a move they’ve made before to keep players they don’t want exposed on waivers. Both are expected to re-sign and be on the team by Monday, and neither is subject to waivers.
In Other News...
49ers Defensive Front Just Lost A Rookie They Were Counting On
Mykel Williams rookie year is starting with an unexpected pause after the 49ers placed the defensive lineman on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform List, pushing back his debut by at least the first four games. The first-round pick from the 2025 NFL Draft had been part of the plan for a front that expected to lean on its young pass rush talent, but an ACL injury has changed the opening stretch and ensured he will not be on the field for the season opener.
San Francisco has already set its 53-man roster, and the edge-rusher group will have to carry the load without him for now, with Sam Okuayinou, Keion White and Romello Height among the names on the list. The early absence matters because Williams was supposed to help line up next to Nick Bosa, and now the 49ers will have to find out how much pressure they can generate before their rookie defender is eligible to return. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Just Lost A Defender They Wanted To Keep
The 49ers roster churn is still rolling as teams around the league sort through waiver claims and the next round of practice-squad and injured reserve moves. San Francisco had been trying to keep its depth intact, but the early action already trimmed away some familiar names, with the Raiders grabbing Darrell Luter, the Chiefs taking Bryson Eason, and the Colts landing Kapena Gushiken.
There is still more movement to come before the day is done, and that is where the 49ers will get their next look at how the back end of the roster settles. Christian Jones and Isaiah Foskey were also part of the broader conversation around roster decisions and development, which is exactly why these post-cutdown hours can matter so much for a team trying to preserve young talent wherever it can. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Just Got A Harsh Early Reality Check In The NFC West
The NFC West already looked unforgiving for San Francisco, and now the early path has gotten even steeper. Reports that Aaron Donald is coming out of retirement to return to the Los Angeles Rams only add to a roster that already carried plenty of defensive bite, and the comparison between the two teams has tilted further toward Los Angeles on both sides of the ball. For a 49ers team trying to navigate a division that rarely offers much breathing room, it is the kind of development that forces an immediate reset of expectations.
The timing makes it even tougher to ignore because the 49ers are set to see the Rams first in Melbourne, Australia, a stage that will amplify whatever edge Los Angeles believes it has. San Francisco can still make its own case over the course of the season, but the matchup in front of it now looks like more than just an opener. It feels like an early test of whether the 49ers can keep pace in a division where the margin for error may already be shrinking. [Read more 🡒]