Defensive line (15): Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Javon Kinlaw*, D.J. Jones, Dee Ford, Solomon Thomas, Ronald Blair, Kerry Hyder, Kevin Givens, Kentavius Street, Jullian Taylor, Darrion Daniels*, Alex Barrett, Jonathan Kongbo, Willie Henry Jr.
The 49ers’ base and nickel defenses will look similar to last season. On running downs, Bosa and Armstead will line up at defensive end with Jones at nose tackle and Kinlaw at DeForest Buckner’s former defensive tackle spot. On obvious passing downs, Jones will come out of the game, Armstead will move inside and Ford will enter as an edge pass rusher. Of course, there will be plenty of variations, including scenarios in which Jones remains in the game as a pass rusher, something he showed a knack for last season.
Best battle: The 49ers like to keep 10 defensive linemen on the active roster. The first eight roster spots seem set, although there could be some fuzziness due to the ACL injury Blair suffered in November. (He’s been on track, even a little ahead of schedule, in his recovery.)
Givens seems like the best candidate to take over the role Sheldon Day had last season. He went undrafted last year, had a strong preseason, made the practice squad and eventually was elevated to the active roster. If Jones gets more pass-rushing snaps as expected, the 49ers will need a good backup nose tackle. Taylor had that role last season but he suffered a late-December ACL tear and could begin the season on an injury list. Street and undrafted rookie Daniels are other options to fill in at nose tackle.
Linebacker (9): Fred Warner, Kwon Alexander, Dre Greenlaw, Azeez Al-Shaair, Mark Nzeocha, Joe Walker, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Jonas Griffith*, Joey Alfieri
The 49ers kept five linebackers last year. The first three are set, although there is some question about who should start next to Warner (see below). As for the next two spots, Nzeocha has been a favorite of special-teams coordinator Richard Hightower for the last three years. Al-Shaair didn’t shine when he was given a more prominent role at midseason. However, he was coming back from an ACL tear last year and there’s reason to believe he’ll be sharper — and faster — in 2020.
If not, Walker, a free-agent pickup last month, has been excellent on special teams since the Eagles drafted him in the seventh round in 2016. He also started 11 games for the Cardinals last season. Griffith, meanwhile, was a tackling machine at Indiana State while Flannigan-Fowles showed promise after being converted from safety to linebacker last year. The third, fourth and fifth linebackers on the roster must be good on special teams.
Best battle: The 49ers will say that the strong-side and weakside linebacker spots both are starting spots. But the weakside position is far more prestigious because it is an every-down role. It was Alexander’s spot before his midseason pectoral tear, but Greenlaw took it over and was playing very well there by season’s end. While we suspect Alexander, the veteran who was an expensive free-agent pickup in 2019, will get his old job back and Greenlaw will play strongside linebacker, it’s not out of the question that the roles could be reversed.
Cornerback (11): Richard Sherman, Ahkello Witherspoon, Emmanuel Moseley, Jason Verrett, Tim Harris, Dontae Johnson, Teez Tabor, Jermaine Kelly, DeMarkus Acy*, K’Waun Williams (nickel cornerback), D.J. Reed (nickel cornerback)
The 49ers kept six defensive backs last season with Reed as a utility-type player who could play everything from nickel cornerback to free safety in a pinch. Sherman, Witherspoon and Moseley are the top returning outside cornerbacks and Williams is one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the league. The last spot could come down to youngster Tim Harris, who recently received praise from general manager John Lynch for how he performed in training camp last year, or the veteran Verrett, who is trying to shake a persistent injury bug. If Verrett finally can do that, he not only could win a roster spot but also be in the running for a starting spot.
Best battle: Witherspoon looked excellent last offseason and easily won a starting role to begin the season. But he was injured early, then struggled late and was replaced by Moseley for most of the playoffs. Once practices begin, they will resume their competition at right cornerback. Incoming defensive backs coach Tony Oden will bring a fresh set of eyes to the competition.
Safety (7): Jimmie Ward, Tarvarius Moore, Jaquiski Tartt, Marcell Harris, Chris Edwards, Derrick Kindred, Jared Mayden*
After signing Ward to a three-year deal, this position looks a lot like it did last year. Ward and Tartt will be the starters while Moore is the top backup behind Ward at free safety.
Best battle: The 49ers looked at a lot of strong safeties in the draft but didn’t take any. That means Harris remains the frontrunner to be the backup strong safety, an important position considering Tartt has missed 19 games in the last three seasons. Harris didn’t make the initial 53-man roster last year and he didn’t play all that well when Tartt was hurt late in the season. His competition is Kindred, who has starting experience at strong safety but who didn’t play at all last season, Edwards, who has been a standout in the CFL and Mayden, who went undrafted last week.
Edwards is interesting. He has good size (6-1, 218) and excellent speed for the position, a combination shown by the fact that he played both linebacker and kick returner in the CFL (and had a 24.4-yard average returning kicks in 2017). Of course, if the 49ers really got into a jam at strong safety they could call veteran Antone Exum, who has been on and off the roster in recent years and who is familiar with the team’s defense. Exum currently is a free agent.
Specialists (3): Robbie Gould, Mitch Wishnowsky, Kyle Nelson
The battery of Gould (kicker), Wishnowsky (holder) and Nelson (snapper) returns intact. Gould struggled like never before in his career early last season but regained his footing after Nelson returned from suspension at midseason.
Best battle: James handled both punt and kick returns last season but has plenty of competition to make the squad at receiver. If he’s not an option, Trent Taylor, Pettis, Benjamin and Aiyuk have experience handling punts while Reed can return kicks. Should Aiyuk win a starting receiver spot it’s hard to see him taking back punts, too. If he’s healthy, Taylor might be the frontrunner for the role.
The 49ers’ base and nickel defenses will look similar to last season. On running downs, Bosa and Armstead will line up at defensive end with Jones at nose tackle and Kinlaw at DeForest Buckner’s former defensive tackle spot. On obvious passing downs, Jones will come out of the game, Armstead will move inside and Ford will enter as an edge pass rusher. Of course, there will be plenty of variations, including scenarios in which Jones remains in the game as a pass rusher, something he showed a knack for last season.
Best battle: The 49ers like to keep 10 defensive linemen on the active roster. The first eight roster spots seem set, although there could be some fuzziness due to the ACL injury Blair suffered in November. (He’s been on track, even a little ahead of schedule, in his recovery.)
Givens seems like the best candidate to take over the role Sheldon Day had last season. He went undrafted last year, had a strong preseason, made the practice squad and eventually was elevated to the active roster. If Jones gets more pass-rushing snaps as expected, the 49ers will need a good backup nose tackle. Taylor had that role last season but he suffered a late-December ACL tear and could begin the season on an injury list. Street and undrafted rookie Daniels are other options to fill in at nose tackle.
Linebacker (9): Fred Warner, Kwon Alexander, Dre Greenlaw, Azeez Al-Shaair, Mark Nzeocha, Joe Walker, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Jonas Griffith*, Joey Alfieri
The 49ers kept five linebackers last year. The first three are set, although there is some question about who should start next to Warner (see below). As for the next two spots, Nzeocha has been a favorite of special-teams coordinator Richard Hightower for the last three years. Al-Shaair didn’t shine when he was given a more prominent role at midseason. However, he was coming back from an ACL tear last year and there’s reason to believe he’ll be sharper — and faster — in 2020.
If not, Walker, a free-agent pickup last month, has been excellent on special teams since the Eagles drafted him in the seventh round in 2016. He also started 11 games for the Cardinals last season. Griffith, meanwhile, was a tackling machine at Indiana State while Flannigan-Fowles showed promise after being converted from safety to linebacker last year. The third, fourth and fifth linebackers on the roster must be good on special teams.
Best battle: The 49ers will say that the strong-side and weakside linebacker spots both are starting spots. But the weakside position is far more prestigious because it is an every-down role. It was Alexander’s spot before his midseason pectoral tear, but Greenlaw took it over and was playing very well there by season’s end. While we suspect Alexander, the veteran who was an expensive free-agent pickup in 2019, will get his old job back and Greenlaw will play strongside linebacker, it’s not out of the question that the roles could be reversed.
Cornerback (11): Richard Sherman, Ahkello Witherspoon, Emmanuel Moseley, Jason Verrett, Tim Harris, Dontae Johnson, Teez Tabor, Jermaine Kelly, DeMarkus Acy*, K’Waun Williams (nickel cornerback), D.J. Reed (nickel cornerback)
The 49ers kept six defensive backs last season with Reed as a utility-type player who could play everything from nickel cornerback to free safety in a pinch. Sherman, Witherspoon and Moseley are the top returning outside cornerbacks and Williams is one of the best nickel cornerbacks in the league. The last spot could come down to youngster Tim Harris, who recently received praise from general manager John Lynch for how he performed in training camp last year, or the veteran Verrett, who is trying to shake a persistent injury bug. If Verrett finally can do that, he not only could win a roster spot but also be in the running for a starting spot.
Best battle: Witherspoon looked excellent last offseason and easily won a starting role to begin the season. But he was injured early, then struggled late and was replaced by Moseley for most of the playoffs. Once practices begin, they will resume their competition at right cornerback. Incoming defensive backs coach Tony Oden will bring a fresh set of eyes to the competition.
Safety (7): Jimmie Ward, Tarvarius Moore, Jaquiski Tartt, Marcell Harris, Chris Edwards, Derrick Kindred, Jared Mayden*
After signing Ward to a three-year deal, this position looks a lot like it did last year. Ward and Tartt will be the starters while Moore is the top backup behind Ward at free safety.
Best battle: The 49ers looked at a lot of strong safeties in the draft but didn’t take any. That means Harris remains the frontrunner to be the backup strong safety, an important position considering Tartt has missed 19 games in the last three seasons. Harris didn’t make the initial 53-man roster last year and he didn’t play all that well when Tartt was hurt late in the season. His competition is Kindred, who has starting experience at strong safety but who didn’t play at all last season, Edwards, who has been a standout in the CFL and Mayden, who went undrafted last week.
Edwards is interesting. He has good size (6-1, 218) and excellent speed for the position, a combination shown by the fact that he played both linebacker and kick returner in the CFL (and had a 24.4-yard average returning kicks in 2017). Of course, if the 49ers really got into a jam at strong safety they could call veteran Antone Exum, who has been on and off the roster in recent years and who is familiar with the team’s defense. Exum currently is a free agent.
Specialists (3): Robbie Gould, Mitch Wishnowsky, Kyle Nelson
The battery of Gould (kicker), Wishnowsky (holder) and Nelson (snapper) returns intact. Gould struggled like never before in his career early last season but regained his footing after Nelson returned from suspension at midseason.
Best battle: James handled both punt and kick returns last season but has plenty of competition to make the squad at receiver. If he’s not an option, Trent Taylor, Pettis, Benjamin and Aiyuk have experience handling punts while Reed can return kicks. Should Aiyuk win a starting receiver spot it’s hard to see him taking back punts, too. If he’s healthy, Taylor might be the frontrunner for the role.
man
I hope he does, but hopefully Garland can keep improving in case we need him.
why ? I was listing 1st round busts, taylor mays was in the second round
