The San Francisco 49ers use joint practices to decide on their roster.
After two scrimmages in Minnesota two years ago, Brock Purdy surpassed Nate Sudfeld on the quarterback depth chart. Following combined sessions and a successful preseason performance in Nevada the previous season, Sam Darnold did the same to Trey Lance.
This year? The 49ers will not be able to resolve the backup dispute between Joshua Dobbs and Brandon Allen through a joint session. Due to their numerous injuries, they had to postpone their plans to scrimmage against the New Orleans Saints, and on Monday, Kyle Shanahan announced that they will not attempt to schedule a scrimmage against the Las Vegas Raiders prior to the third preseason game.
There are other roster decisions at stake outside the competition to be Purdy’s backup. There are fights for backup spots at receiver, center, linebacker, and cornerback. The 49ers want to see further development from youngster Dominick Puni, who is expected to start at right guard in Week 1.
What will happen on August 27, the day of cut-down? This is our initial attempt at a 53-man projection that includes the practice squad of 16 players.
Quarterback (3)
Brock Purdy, Brandon Allen, Joshua Dobbs
If Dobbs defeats Allen for the No. 2 spot, this prediction will be much simpler. Allen might join the practice squad in that case, then be called up for emergency action on game days.
But for now, Allen is Purdy’s primary backup. He took practice snaps before Dobbs, indicating his position in the pecking order, and he started the game on Saturday. Might the 49ers cut Dobbs to make room on the 53-man roster by moving him to the practice squad? He would have to be cut first, which would be risky given his 2023 tendency to jump around between teams and rapidly become accustomed to new systems.
Practice squad: Tanner Mordecai
Running back (5)
Christian McCaffrey, Jordan Mason, Elijah Mitchell, Cody Schrader, Kyle Juszczyk (fullback)
With Schrader, who was undrafted in April, position coach Bobby Turner has continued to live up to his reputation of finding undervalued talent. This summer, he is been competitive and, more significantly, has not sustained any of the injuries that many of his other runners had.
Practice squad or injury list: Matt Breida, Isaac Guerendo (hamstring)
Undrafted running back Cody Schrader could be the latest in Bobby Turner’s line of hidden gems. (Steve Roberts / USA Today)
Wide receiver (6)
Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel Sr., Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Chris Conley, Ronnie Bell
While it is not a given, this exercise presupposes that Aiyuk is still on the roster on cut-down day. Even if he is, it is unlikely that he will use up all of his game day snaps; in the early part of the season, he often plays all but one or two unless it is a blowout.
Conley was selected for the squad for this reason. Since the spring, he has been the team’s most reliable backup for Aiyuk. Additionally, as demonstrated in the Super Bowl, he is a highly effective member of special teams.
Punts are handled by whom? The most seasoned and steady choice is Trent Taylor. Depending on injuries and how the roster fills out, the 49ers may promote him from the practice squad at the beginning of the season and then add him to the 53-man roster later. Last month, Shanahan made a suggestion that Taylor might be a practice squad member.
“You always like guys like that as possible practice squad players too, because when they have experience and something happens on a Friday or Saturday, the game is never too big for them,” he said. “You can get them up and they don’t blink.”
Practice squad or injury list: Taylor, Danny Gray (shoulder), Jacob Cowing (hamstring)
Tight end (4)
George Kittle, Eric Saubert, Brayden Willis, Cameron Latu
Regarding the first three names on this list, we are certain. The fourth does not give rise to the same degree of assurance. Nevertheless, the 49ers selected Latu in the third round of the previous draft because they needed a strong, in-line blocking tight end for their offense. This season, Saubert is a good, seasoned replacement for that position. But he is not signed for next year and he is thirty. It may be necessary for the 49ers to allow Latu more time to mature.
Practice squad: Jake Tonges, Mason Pline
Offensive line (9)
Trent Williams, Aaron Banks, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Jaylon Moore, Spencer Burford, Jon Feliciano, Chris Hubbard
Feliciano, Nick Zakelj, and Ben Bartch appear to be vying for the same position: that of a backup who can take over in the event of a guard or center injury. Feliciano gets the go-ahead since he gained the team’s confidence in the previous campaign. Nevertheless, he has spent the majority of the summer dealing with a knee issue, so it is probable that he will start the season on the injured list. By roster cut-down day, it is assumed in the above projection that Williams will not be on the did-not-report list.
Practice squad: Zakelj, Bartch, Jarrett Kingston
Defensive line (8)
Nick Bosa, Javon Hargrave, Maliek Collins, Leonard Floyd, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jordan Elliott, Robert Beal Jr., Kevin Givens
With this, the 49ers have their most skilled defensive line groups since the Shanahan-John Lynch era, but there is not much depth beyond them. Kalia Davis (knee) should return by midseason, according to the 49ers. Additionally, by adding a few developing players to the practice squad, they can defend themselves at the position.
Practice squad or injury list: Evan Anderson, Shakel Brown, Jonathan Garvin, Davis (knee)
Linebacker (6)
Fred Warner, De’Vondre Campbell Sr., Dee Winters, Jalen Graham, Ezekiel Turner, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
Dre Greenlaw will provide a significant boost to the linebacker group whenever he is cleared to return from the physically unable to perform list. Curtis Robinson and Flannigan-Fowles are competing for the position of experienced backup. Turner was added by the 49ers to strengthen their special teams, particularly in kickoff coverage.
Practice squad: Tatum Bethune, Robinson
Dee Winters figures to hold down the No. 3 linebacker role until Dre Greenlaw is healthy. (Steve Roberts / USA Today)
Cornerbacks (5)
Charvarius Ward, Deommodore Lenoir, Isaac Yiadom, Renardo Green, Darrell Luter Jr.
Ambry Thomas suffered a broken arm during Saturday’s preseason game, leaving this group without a member. However, it is still deep, with some difficult decisions to be made on cut-down day. In this case, Luter is selected for the 53-man roster instead of Rock Ya-Sin because to his younger age (24 vs. 28) and his usefulness on special teams.
Practice squad: Ya-Sin, Chase Lucas
Safety (4)
Ji’Ayir Brown, Talanoa Hufanga, George Odum, Malik Mustapha
Even though Brown is only in his second season, since the spring, he has been among the 49ers’ best and most reliable players. He will hold down the fort as Hufanga recovers from the ACL tear he sustained last year. It is difficult to imagine anyone replacing the aggressive, astute Mustapha in the 53-man roster. To guard against Hufanga’s surgically repaired knee, the team added veteran Tracy Walker III lately, which begs the issue of whether they will stick with five safeties. Or maybe Hufanga is placed on the PUP list at the beginning of the season and misses the first four games.
Practice squad: Walker
Specialists (3)
P Mitch Wishnowsky, PK Jake Moody, LS Taybor Pepper
Wishnowsky’s knee discomfort kept him out of the game on Saturday, thus Pressley Harvin III was able to punt. Though Wishnowsky, 32, is not anticipated to miss much time, Harvin might be a useful backup plan in the event that Wishnowsky is forced to miss a game during the regular season.
(Top photo of Trent Taylor: Wesley Hitt / Getty Images)
