Maiocco's 53-man roster projection entering 49ers' preseason opener

It’s about time for many of those who are battling spots on the 49ers’ regular-season roster to show what they can do against players on another NFL team.

As the 49ers approach their first preseason game Saturday at the Tennessee Titans, this seems like a good time for the first 53-man roster projection of the summer.

We’ve arranged the roster projection in four categories. “Locks” and players who are “Looking good” account for 50 spots.

Then, there are 37 players “In the mix,” who might be classified as those who are currently on the outside looking in.

Then, there are five in the “other” column. These are players who currently are not practicing because they are on an injured list, holding out or holding in.

Here’s the first roster breakdown of camp:

Quarterback

Locks: Brock Purdy, Brandon Allen, Josh Dobbs

Looking good: None

In the mix: Tanner Mordecai

Overview: This position group is not too complex. The 49ers figure to again keep three quarterbacks on the regular-season roster. The only question is whether it’s Allen or Dobbs who emerges as Purdy’s backup.

Running back

Locks: Christian McCaffrey, Kyle Juszczyk, Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason

Looking good: Isaac Guerendo

In the mix: Matt Breida, Cody Schrader, Patrick Taylor, Ke’Shawn Vaughn

Overview: Mason’s stock is rising, as he has placed himself into prime position to be McCaffrey’s backup over Mitchell, who has missed time with a hamstring injury.

Guerendo has not practiced since the first day of training camp due to a hamstring injury of his own. It’s possible he winds up on an injury list and his rookie season is a wash. They traded up in the fourth round to select him, so they want to keep him around for 2025.

Wide receiver

Locks: Deebo Samuel, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall

Looking good: Jacob Cowing, Trent Taylor

In the mix: Ronnie Bell, Danny Gray, Chris Conley, Frank Darby, Tay Martin, Jontre Kirklin

Status unknown: Brandon Aiyuk

Overview: Aiyuk is the big question mark. The 49ers could trade him, of course. It is also possible he remains with the 49ers this season. It's a fluid situation while he engages in a "hold in" until his contract situation is resolved.

Taylor has put himself into strong consideration for a roster spot because he’s a reliable target out of the slot and he is the only player on the team who looks comfortable fielding punts.

Bell probably leads the way among those who are in the mix. If Aiyuk stays around, that might not be good news for Bell, Gray or Conley.

Tight end

Locks: George Kittle, Logan Thomas, Brayden Willis

Looking good: Eric Saubert

In the mix: Cameron Latu, Jake Tonges, Mason Pline

Overview: There is competition for roster spots behind Kittle. Thomas gets the nod for a backup spot because he’s the best receiver of the group.

Willis has made strides from his rookie season. Meanwhile, Latu simply has not done anything to distinguish himself. Latu was a third-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft who spent his rookie season on injured reserve.

Offensive line

Locks: Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Colton McKivitz, Jon Feliciano, Dominick Puni, Jaylon Moore

Looking good: Spencer Burford

In the mix: Ben Bartch, Brandon Parker, Chris Hubbard, Nick Zakelj, Jarrett Kingston, Drake Nugent, Sebastian Gutierrez, Isaac Alarcon, Lewis Kidd

Reserve/Did not report: Trent Williams

Overview: The 49ers are awaiting the return of Williams, but there’s no sign of when that might happen.

Bartch, Parker and Hubbard all are good enough to make the team. But those veterans also are candidates for the practice squad, along with Kingston, a sixth-round draft pick.

Defensive line

Locks: Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, Maliek Collins, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jordan Elliott, Kevin Givens

Looking good: Kalia Davis, Robert Beal

In the mix: Austin Bryant, T.Y. McGill, Evan Anderson, Alex Barrett, Shakel Brown, Sam Okuayinonu

Active/Physically unable to perform: Drake Jackson

Overview: Jackson’s season is up in the air as he tries to return from surgery to repair a damaged patellar tendon.

The 49ers’ game-day rotation of seven defensive linemen from the “locks” category looks solid. But there’s always room for a player to turn it on and jump into the picture.

Linebacker

Locks: Fred Warner, De’Vondre Campbell, Dee Winters, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles

Looking good: Jalen Graham

In the mix: Ezekiel Turner, Tatum Bethune, Curtis Robinson

Active/Physically unable to perform: Dre Greenlaw

Overview: Greenlaw is likely to open the season on the PUP list, which would make him ineligible for the first four games of the season.

Turner can win a spot due to his play on special teams. Bethune, a seventh-round draft pick, should at least hold down a spot on the practice squad.

Cornerback

Locks: Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Isaac Yiadom

Looking good: Darrell Luter, Sam Womack

In the mix: Rock Ya-Sin, Ambry Thomas, Chase Lucas

Overview: The 49ers have more depth at cornerback than they’ve had in a long, long time. That means an NFL-caliber player or two will receive some bad news and could get picked up by another team.

The top six players at this position separated themselves after two weeks of training camp.

Safety

Locks: Ji’Ayir Brown, George Odum, Malik Mustapha

Looking good: None

In the mix: Tayler Hawkins, Jaylen Mahoney

Active/Physically unable to perform: Talanoa Hufanga

Overview: Odum has been outstanding in camp. He is always around the football and has more than a handful of interceptions to show for it.

Hufanga should be cleared to practice next week after undergoing surgery in November to repair a torn ACL. When he's healthy, he joins Brown in the starting lineup.

Special teams

Locks: Jake Moody, Mitch Wishnowsky, Taybor Pepper

Looking good: None

In the mix: None

Overview: There’s nothing to see here. This unit is set.

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