Maiocco's 49ers 53-man roster breakdown: Hufanga a welcome sight

The 49ers received some encouraging news leading up to the time when they had to make the cuts to the regular-season limit of 53 players.

Safety Talanoa Hufanga, whom coach Kyle Shanahan suggested might open the 2024 NFL season on reserve/physically unable to perform, passed his physical.

While it is not known whether Hufanga will be available for the 49ers in their Week 1 game against the New York Jets, it indicates the team expects him on the field in short order.

Anyone who opens the season on reserve/PUP would be ineligible for the first four games of the regular season.

It was a good day for the 2024 NFL draft picks, too, with only offensive lineman Jarrett Kingston receiving news that he did not earn a spot on the initial 53-man roster.

Here is a breakdown of the 49ers’ initial roster decisions:

Quarterback (3)

Brock Purdy

Brandon Allen

Joshua Dobbs

Analysis: The only question — and it remains unanswered — is whether the 49ers will go with Brandon Allen or Joshua Dobbs as the No. 2 quarterback to open the season behind Brock Purdy.

The 49ers liked a lot of what they saw from undrafted rookie Tanner Mordecai, but it was no secret he faced an uphill battle to win a spot in a veteran room.

Running back (5)

Christian McCaffrey

Kyle Juszczyk

Jordan Mason

Isaac Guerendo

Patrick Taylor Jr.

Analysis: This position group never really was in question, especially after Isaac Guerendo got healthy and showed why the 49ers liked him so much. He showed his speed on a 93-yard kickoff return in the preseason finale.

McCaffrey missed most of camp with a calf strain, but he should be ready to go against the Jets in Week 1. Mason will be the backup, and Elijah Mitchell goes on injured reserve. He was not designated for return.

Cody Schrader, an undrafted rookie from Missouri, has a good chance to stick around on the practice squad.

Wide receiver (7)

Deebo Samuel

Brandon Aiyuk

Jauan Jennings

Ricky Pearsall

Jacob Cowing

Chris Conley

Ronnie Bell

Analysis: Yes, Aiyuk has a spot on the 53-man roster because he reported on time and always has been on the active roster. He just has not practiced — and probably will not until his contract issue is resolved.

Cowing appears to be in line to handle the punt return chores. Conley won a spot with a tremendous training camp. His special-teams skills brings additional value to this position group.

Veteran Trent Taylor could stick around on the practice squad as insurance in the return game.

The 49ers selected speedster Danny Gray in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but he never distinguished himself. He was among the final cuts. He appeared in 13 games as a rookie and caught just one pass for 10 yards. He spent last season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury.

Tight end (2)

George Kittle

Jake Tonges

Analysis: The 49ers undoubtedly will be looking to add someone at this spot. Veteran Logan Thomas did not make the cut, but he is a definite option to come back to the active roster or be moved to the practice squad.

Jake Tonges, who spent time on the practice squad last season, made the team over 2023 draft picks Cameron Latu and Brayden Willis. Tonges played his entire four-year college career at Cal.

Latu was chosen in the third round, and Willis played 10 games, including three in the playoffs. Both are eligible for the practice squad if they go unclaimed on waivers.

Offensive line (8)

Aaron Banks

Jake Brendel

Colton McKivitz

Dominick Puni

Jaylon Moore

Spencer Burford

Nick Zakelj

Jon Feliciano

Analysis: One of the players who made it this far might not be around for much longer. Trent Williams does not count against the roster limit as he remains on the reserve/did not report list. When he comes back, the 49ers will have to create a roster spot.

Feliciano, a candidate for injured reserve due to a knee injury, is on the roster and figures to be available early in the season.

Kingston, a sixth-round pick from USC, was the only 2024 draft pick who did not make the initial 53-man roster. He remains a solid option to stick around on the practice squad.

Defensive line (9)

Nick Bosa

Javon Hargrave

Leonard Floyd

Maliek Collins

Yetur Gross-Matos

Jordan Elliott

Kevin Givens

Robert Beal Jr.

Sam Okuayinonu

Analysis: It is good news for the 49ers that neither Floyd nor Gross-Matos begins the season on injured reserve after they sustained knee injuries in the preseason finale.

Okuayinonu was under the radar during training camp, but his versatility landed him a spot on the initial 53-man roster.

Defensive tackle Kalia Davis (knee) opens the season on injured reserve and is expected to make a return in the middle of the season.

Linebacker (6)

Fred Warner

De’Vondre Campbell

Dee Winters

Curtis Robinson

Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles

Tatum Bethune

Analysis: Hats off to Robinson, who played at such a high level this summer that he earned his way onto this team after spending at least parts of the past three years on the practice squad.

The odds might have been against Bethune, but he led the team in tackles during the preseason and showed he has the ability to be a Week 1 contributor on special teams.

Dre Greenlaw (Achilles) opens the season on reserve/physically unable to perform and is expected back in the middle of the season.

Jalen Graham, a seventh-round pick last year, did not make the cut but is likely to land on the practice squad.

Cornerback (6)

Charvarius Ward

Deommodore Lenoir

Renardo Green

Isaac Yiadom

Darrell Luter Jr.

Ambry Thomas

Analysis: The 49ers have good depth at cornerback, so they had to make some difficult decisions with Sam Womack and Rock Ya-Sin.

Womack, a fifth-round pick in 2022, appeared in 26 games, including the postseason, over the past two seasons. He did not make the cut despite his flexibility to also play nickel back. Luter showed more upside with his play on the outside and came on strong in the past couple of weeks.

Thomas remained on the 53-man roster despite sustaining a fractured forearm in the first preseason game.

Safety (4)

Ji’Ayir Brown

Talanoa Hufanga

George Odum

Malik Mustapha

Analysis: The big one for the 49ers is the inclusion of Hufanga on this list. This means they expect him to get back on the field very early in the season — if not for that game against Aaron Rodgers and the Jets.

If Hufanga might not be available early in the season, the 49ers could look to bring back veteran Tracy Walker III for a role on the practice squad.

Special teams (3)

Jake Moody

Mitch Wishnowsky

Taybor Pepper

Analysis: The 49ers will have the same three specialists back for a second season. Wishnowsky has been declared ready for the season after missing extensive time in training camp with knee irritation. The 49ers brought in veteran Pressley Harvin, whom they released on Monday.

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