The 49ers have their 53-man roster and practice squad in place, which means the dust is settling for a moment before Week 1 arrives. With the initial cuts done, a handful of jobs still feel very much unresolved.
The clearest one might be at left guard. Brett Toth and Austen Pleasants were too injured to stay in the mix, and Robert Jones was let go after not fitting. Connor Colby could re-enter the picture, but he has been working at right guard for the last month, which does not exactly point to him being the Week 1 answer on the left side.
At the moment, rookie fourth-round pick Carver Willis looks like the leading candidate. The issue is that he is still in the middle of a transition from tackle and has only been with the first team for a few weeks.
The 49ers also acquired Jarrett Patterson in a trade, and while he is expected to be a backup center and a depth guard, he can still push for the spot. The question remains simple: who opens the season as the starter at left guard?
There is also a battle behind Christian McCaffrey. The backup running back competition did not really get rolling until the final week of the preseason, largely because Kaelon Black and Jordan James were dealing with injuries earlier this summer.
Both are healthy now, and both played in the preseason finale. That gives them one more week to make their case.
Who gets the first carry when McCaffrey comes off the field?
Linebacker depth is another spot to watch. Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw are locked in as the starters, and the 49ers are not expected to lean heavily on three-linebacker packages.
Still, that look is part of the versatile defense Raheem Morris wants to run, so the third linebacker matters. Tatum Bethune is set to back up Warner, but the rest of the picture is unsettled.
Is Garrett Wallow the Greenlaw backup, and does that leave Luke Gifford or Jaden Dugger in the mix?
The edge spot opposite Nick Bosa is also unresolved because Mykel Williams is on the PUP list. Sam Okuayinonu has held that role most of the summer, but Keion White has been hurt and is now healthy, which could make him the favorite.
Romello Height is in the mix as a designated pass rusher. The big question: does White start?
And then there is the long snapper situation. Right now, the 49ers do not have one on the roster. That leaves one more move to be made, whether it is a roster transaction that opens the door or the team leaning on practice squad elevations during the first couple of weeks.
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 🡒]