Coach Kyle Shanahan and G.M. John Lynch would by no means come out and say it, however they’ve bought a reasonably good concept which gamers will comprise the 53-man roster when the season opens on Sept. 11 on the highway towards the Chicago Bears.
That’s factor. A workforce with greater than a handful of roster spots up for grabs heading into the ultimate preseason sport isn't workforce.
Gamers who got here to the 49ers this yr know the rating. They’re not solely auditioning for Shanahan and Lynch, however for 31 different groups that may peruse the waiver wire understanding 49ers cuts could also be a minimize above.
Listed here are three gamers who've caught the 49ers’ consideration and have a shot on the 53-man roster on cutdown day primarily based on their efficiency in a 17-7 highway win over the Minnesota Vikings Saturday evening:
RB Jordan Mason
The reality about preseason speeding stats is that this — the main rusher normally will get minimize. Mason led the 49ers with 57 yards on 9 carries, forward of third-round decide Ty Davis-Worth, who had 41 yards on 10 makes an attempt.
Mason has proven a expertise for the form of one-cut working Shanahan desires from his backs. At 5-foot-11, 223-pounds, the undrafted rookie out of Georgia Tech has a knack for breaking tackles and getting additional yards with no wasted motion.
The 49ers plan to choose their spots with Deebo Samuel within the backfield. Elijah Mitchell, final yr’s main rusher, is on the shelf with a hamstring pressure and in his quick historical past has been damage inclined. Jeff Wilson Jr. has recovered from a knee damage and the 49ers really feel fairly good about the best way he seems.
Davis-Worth has proven sufficient to stay and his standing as a third-round decide assures him a roster spot as an influence again.
Shanahan favored the best way Mason and Davis-Worth ran the ball towards the Vikings.
“We struggled to get so much going within the run sport constantly,” Shanahan stated. “It was good to have the ability to run out the clock within the second half, particularly within the fourth quarter.”
So it comes all the way down to Mason and Trey Sermon, final yr’s third-round decide who was shortly handed by Mitchell on the depth chart.
The hope was Sermon, who got here in stronger this season, could be extra decisive and be able to put his foot on the bottom and go. He gained eight yards on 5 carries towards the Vikings and his enchancment has appeared marginal at finest. Sermon has by no means appeared pretty much as good in a 49ers’ uniform as Mason did towards the Vikings.
Shanahan stated Sermon has been battling an ankle damage and was inspired that he made it on the sector to play.
If Mason has impressed particular groups coach Brian Schneider, and the 49ers imagine he could be of use in that space, he may stick. And with what he’s placed on movie, Mason may get snapped up by another person ought to the 49ers attempt to slip him via waivers and onto the follow squad.
TE Tanner Hudson
Undrafted out of Southern Arkansas in 2018, Hudson bounced between the follow squad and energetic roster for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, catching 5 passes for 67 yards and three first downs in 2019-20.
Hudson joined the 49ers follow squad on Sept. 3 of final season and was promoted to the energetic roster Jan. 1. After perennial Professional Bowler George Kittle, the 49ers have Ross Dwelley, Charlie Woerner, Tyler Kroft and Troy Fumagali along with Hudson.
Though he had a drop towards Minnesota, Hudson has drawn raves for being sure-handed and he’s adept at discovering open areas and securing the ball. He had 5 receptions for 43 yards on the Vikings together with a 16-yard achieve and drew protection in his course on Nate Sudfeld’s 2-yard landing move to JaMycal Hasty in addition to the two-point conversion to Danny Grey that adopted.
With 143 receptions for two,152 yards and 25 touchdowns in his faculty profession, Hudson might be the 49ers most suitable choice as a bodily in-line tight finish who may do harm as a receiver ought to Kittle be injured.
QB Brock Purdy
Do the 49ers preserve two quarterbacks or three?
We’re going to imagine certainly one of them gained’t be Jimmy Garoppolo, given his scheduled $24.2 million wage and the truth that the beginning job belongs to Trey Lance. And the 49ers tipped their hand way back that Sudfeld could be the backup when he bought a assured $2 million wage.
Sudfeld, who was 13 of 17 for 102 yards and a landing towards the Vikings, has performed nothing in coaching camp to recommend it was a foul funding. He seems able to taking part in equally to Garoppolo when it comes to being a protected possibility and getting first downs ought to Lance be injured. Shanahan gained’t come out and say Sudfeld is No. 2, however that day is coming.
Purdy, the final man taken within the 2022 NFL Draft, was 14 of 23 for 128 yards towards Minnesota with a fumbled handoff close to the objective line. However the 49ers liked the hearth Purdy performed with at Iowa State, and it’s been evident throughout coaching camp and preseason video games. Listed at 6-1, 220 (he seems shorter), Purdy doesn’t have the perfect dimension and arm energy of a high prospect. He does look able to working an offense, nevertheless.
“He’s been actually constant in follow,” Shanahan stated. “You guys see him in video games. He’s been constant. That’s why he’s bought an opportunity to make our workforce.”
Whereas the seemingly state of affairs is the 49ers playing he could be placed on the follow squad, it’s not inconceivable that they may not wish to danger shedding Purdy provided that Lance goes to reveal himself greater than a standard quarterback together with his skill to run the ball.
If the 49ers preserve three quarterbacks, he’ll be on the roster.