6 Bubble Players With Inside Track to Make the 49ers

Late Additions and Roster Moves

With the San Francisco 49ers' final roster cutdown approaching, the team made a notable transaction on August 24, signing defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko Jr. to a one-year contract and releasing tight end Josiah Deguara to create the roster spot. Deguara's departure came just 24 days after the 49ers signed him on July 31.

The timing of the move was significant for both sides. The 49ers had recently activated George Kittle from the PUP list, re-signed tight end Khalil Dinkins, and, one day before adding Fehoko, auditioned three pass rushers as they continued reshaping the bottom of the roster ahead of final cuts.

Fehoko, 26, was one of three pass rushers the 49ers worked out over the weekend, along with Diwun Black and Ron Stone. San Francisco ultimately chose the former Dallas Cowboys fourth-round pick, selected No. 129 overall in the 2023 NFL draft. Fehoko's college career at San Jose State was productive, finishing with 191 tackles, 46 tackles for loss, and 23 sacks, according to the 49ers. He was also named the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year in 2022.

However, Fehoko has yet to establish himself at the NFL level, having spent time with the Cowboys, Washington Commanders, and Indianapolis Colts without appearing in a regular-season game. Indianapolis waived him on April 30. This made the signing less about adding an established contributor and more about giving a once-promising draft pick one more audition, with the 49ers having an opening to examine another defensive lineman after waiving/injuring Xavier Thomas. Fehoko now gets a short runway to show the coaching staff whether his college pass-rush production can translate into useful depth.

Tight End and Defensive End Depth

The tight end position has been a focal point. George Kittle, who suffered a torn Achilles in January, was activated from the PUP list on August 23. There is a potential complication: if Kittle enters the season on the PUP list, he would be required to miss six games. The 49ers do not plan on that, according to the team, and might activate him before Week 1. If Kittle is activated but not available for Week 1, the 49ers may need to carry an extra tight end, as they cannot go into Week 1 with Jake Tonges and Luke Farrell as their only healthy tight ends.

Kittle himself is adamant he will avoid the PUP list, though he still had not practiced as of recent reports. Meanwhile, the re-signing of Khalil Dinkins on a three-year deal after previously waiving him from the non-football injury list adds depth.

On the defensive line, Mykel Williams is on the PUP list, and his status for Week 1 is in doubt. Without Williams, the 49ers have Nick Bosa, who has been eased back from injury, rookie Romello Height, Keion White, coming back from injury, and depth piece Sam Okuayinonu. If Williams is out, Okuayinonu becomes a roster lock, and the team might want to add one more player. Mykel Williams and Isaac Guerendo are also likely to take PUP into the regular season, ruling them out for the first four games, according to one report.

Injury News and Offensive Line Competitions

Several injuries are influencing roster decisions. Nate Hobbs has a strained groin and is expected to miss a couple of weeks, making him a candidate for IR with a designation to return. Jordan James has fractured ribs, and his timeline to return is unclear. Vederian Lowe came off the PUP and immediately sprained his ankle; he has been injured with an ankle all summer, with no indication he will begin practicing soon. Other potential IR candidates with return designation include Christian Kirk (calf) and Brett Toth (concussion).

At left guard, the competition remains unresolved. Coach Kyle Shanahan said of the left guard competition that no one has made it easy and there is a lot more time to go. Austen Pleasants started at left tackle but took snaps at left guard and left with a non-ACL knee injury needing further imaging. Robert Jones left with an unspecified injury and will miss the final preseason game. Carver Willis, a fourth-round pick, started at left guard and logged the most snaps (42). Shanahan noted of Willis: "When you go inside, there's a lot more going on schematically... It's going to go down to the wire."

At tackle, Vederian Lowe's injury has given Austen Pleasants a good chance to make the team as backup left tackle. Enrique Cruz, a fifth-round rookie, has struggled in the preseason but was drafted as a project, and if Lowe is not healthy, the extra depth at tackle is needed, making Cruz's potential worth keeping away from the waiver process.

Position Battles and Special Teams

At safety, either Marques Sigle or Malik Mustapha will start opposite Ji'Ayir Brown, and the fourth safety spot is likely between Siran Neal and Ashtyn Davis, with Davis having played under coordinator Brant Boyer for four seasons with the Jets.

At linebacker, Jaden Dugger seems to have pushed past Larry Worth III and Jalen Graham for the starting strong-side job. The 49ers have liked what they have seen from Garret Wallow; Luke Gifford missed most of camp with a hamstring injury but was a Pro Bowler on special teams.

On special teams, Deebo Samuel is listed as the No. 1 kick returner, though he has never returned a punt in his NFL career. Jacob Cowing had an 83-yard punt return touchdown, the first for the 49ers since 2011. Shanahan said of Cowing: "Not yet. But, I like that he's making it [the decision] a little easier."

Practice Squad Projections

The 49ers will have their practice squad set in the next week, and projections are emerging for who might fill those spots. At quarterback, Kurtis Rourke appears to have two options: making the roster or being placed on an injured list. He did not play in the second preseason game but played well in his debut and is dealing with a rib injury. At running back, Sincere McCormick has been the best among the depth options.

At wide receiver, Will Pauling appears ahead of Wesley Grimes as the top undrafted free agent on the roster, with Khadarel Hodge against Trenton Irwin for the final spot. At tight end, Hayden Rucci or Brayden Willis are locks for the practice squad if they do not make the 53-man roster, with Willis having a slight edge; the question is whether Josiah Deguara or freshly signed Khalil Dinkins makes it as well.

On the offensive line, if one of Enrique Cruz or Austen Pleasants does not make the 53-man roster, they are locks for the practice squad; Brandon Parker likely takes the third tackle spot. Whoever loses the backup center battle between Brett Toth and Drake Nugent could go to the practice squad, with Nick Zakelj in the mix at guard and Isaac Alarcon receiving an international exemption. On the defensive line, whoever does not make the team among Sebastian Valdez, James Thompson, and Bryson Eason will be priority practice squad adds, with Ogbo Okoronkwo or Quinton Bell strong options at edge rusher.

At linebacker, Tatum Bethune or Larry Worth could be practice squad additions. At cornerback, Jakob Robinson is a good option, with Darell Luter also possible. At safety, rookie Jalen Stroman seems like a smart choice over Ashtyn Davis.

Cutdown Deadline and Travel

By 3 p.m. next Sunday, the 49ers must trim their roster from 90 to 53, and three days later they will board a 16-hour flight to Melbourne, Australia. Defensive coordinator Raheem Morris commented on the final week of practice and hard decisions, saying, "There's a lot of guys doing really good things. … There are a lot of really good things on this football team and really hard decisions for our management, our coaches, everybody involved."

Players like George Kittle, Christian McCaffrey, and Nick Bosa appear to be trending in the right direction, but with competition at left guard, safety, and defensive line, and a flurry of injuries, the 49ers' final roster decisions remain uncertain as cutdown day approaches.