Taking a look at the 49ers 2022 roster as it stands right now, plus my latest roster projection

Today I’ve decided to take a look at the 2022 roster as it is now as a whole, with bolded players being, in my opinion, locks to make the final roster, either 53-man roster, or on one of the injured lists(IR, PUP, or NFI).

Below is how I currently see the 2022 roster as it stands, with locks in bold.

Offense:

QB(4): 5 Trey Lance(2024), 10 Jimmy Garoppolo(2022), 7 Nate Sudfeld(2022), & — Brock Purdy(2025)
RB(6): 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024), 22 Jeff Wilson Jr.(2022), 28 Trey Sermon(2024), — Tyrion Davis-Price(2025), 23 JaMycal Hasty(2022), & — Jordan Mason(2024)
FB(2): 44 Kyle Juszcyzk(2025), & 40 Josh Hokit(2022)
WR(12): 19 Deebo Samuel(2022), 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2023), 15 Jauan Jennings(2022), 3 Ray-Ray McCloud(2023), — Danny Gray(2025), 17 Malik Turner(2022), 6 Marcus Johnson(2022), 81 Austin Mack(2022), 83 Connor Wedington(2022), — KeeSean Johnson(2022), — Tay Martin(2024), & — Taysir Mack(2024)
TE(6): 85 George Kittle(2025), 89 Charlie Woerner(2023), 82 Ross Dwelley(2022), 84 Tanner Hudson(2022), 88 Jordan Matthews(2022), & — Garrett Walston(2024)
C(4): 50 Alex Mack(2023), 64 Jake Brendel(2022), — Dohnovan West(2024), & — Jason Poe(2024)
OG(5): 65 Aaron Banks(2024), 76 Jaylon Moore(2024), 60 Daniel Brunskill(2022), — Nick Zakelj(2025), & 66 Keaton Sutherland(2022)
OT(7): 71 Trent Williams(2026), 69 Mike McGlinchey(2022), — Spencer Burford(2025), 68 Colton McKivitz(2022), 67 Justin Skule(2022), Sam Schlueter(2024), & 77 Alfredo Gutierrez(2022)

Defense:

DE(9): 97 Nick Bosa(2023), 56 Samson Ebukam(2022), 92 Kerry Hyder Jr.(2022), 53 Kemoko Turay(2022), 94 Charles Omenihu(2022), — Drake Jackson(2025), 75 Jordan Willis(2022), 55 Dee Ford(2022), & 58 Alex Barrett(2022)
DT(4): 91 Arik Armstead(2024), 90 Kevin Givens(2022), 96 Maurice Hurst Jr.(2022), & — Kevin Atkins(2024)
NT(4): 99 Javon Kinlaw(2023), 98 Hassan Ridgeway(2022), — Kalia Davis(2025), & 78 Chris Slayton(2022)
LB(9): 54 Fred Warner(2026), 57 Dre Greenlaw(2022), 51 Azeez Al-Shaair(2022), 48 Oren Burks(2023), 45 Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(2022), 59 Curtis Robinson(2022), — Jeremiah Gemmel(2024), — Segun Olubi(2024), & — Marcelino McCrary-Ball(2024)
CB(12): 35 Charvarius Ward(2024), 4 Emmanuel Moseley(2022), 20 Ambry Thomas(2024), 38 Deommodore Lenoir(2024), 27 Dontae Johnson(2022), — Samuel Womack(2025), — Tariq Castro-Fields(2025), 2 Jason Verrett(2022), 31 Darqueze Dennard(2022), 24 Ka’dar Hollman(2022), — Qwuantrezz Knight(2024), & — Tayler Hawkins(2024)
S(5): 1 Jimmie Ward(2022), 33 Tarvarius Moore(2022), 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024), 30 George Odum(2024), & — Leon O’Neal Jr.(2024)

Special Teams:

PK(1): 9 Robbie Gould(2022)
P(1): 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2022)
LS(1): 46 Taybor Pepper(2022)

Notes:

At quarterback, I just can’t see how the 49ers can justify keeping Garoppolo on the 53-man roster, or even letting him play preseason games, not when the team needs that $25 million in cap room for 1. 2022 and 2. To carryover into 2023.

At running back, I see JaMycal Hasty as the odd man out, especially after the Tyrion Davis-Price pick.

When it comes to the teams’ wide receivers, I think it’s possible that they keep 5, but head coach Kyle Shanahan usually keeps 6 wide receivers, so if that continues, it should come down to the two veterans that they signed, Malik Turner, & Marcus Johnson, with Turner being the guy that I see making it if they do carry 6.

The tight end position is pretty much set, barring an injury or roster move, but, I do wish they would have addressed the #2 TE spot in the draft, but hopefully Ross Dwelley can improve from 2021, because he didn’t look particularly great or even good, with Charlie Woerner overtaking him as the #2 TE.

On the offensive line there are a lot of questions to be answered, like, who will be the teams’ right guard? Left guard? Center? Will Alex Mack come back? I can’t give definitive answers, but my feeling is Mack returns, Aaron Banks at left guard, & Jaylon Moore at right guard, with Spencer Burford being a swing Tackle, who should see time at right tackle, either in preseason, or regular season, depending on Mike McGlinchey’s health, and I expect Daniel Brunskill, & Colton McKivitz to win backup spots, as they’re both versatile, and still young.

On the defensive line, I think 5 of the 6 EDGE rusher spots are locked in, barring injuries or bad play, with the team looking at either Jordan Willis or Charles Omenihu as the 6^th EDGE rusher, as for the interior part of the defensive line, I expect the backup 3-Technique to come down to Kevin Givens, or Maurice Hurst Jr., while Javon Kinlaw, & Hassan Ridgeway will play that 2i position, which is where I envision Kalia Davis, being a big nose tackle, but, Davis will start the season on reserve/NFI due to a torn ACL from last October, but this is a very deep group, maybe deeper than 2019? Definitely 2020 & 2021.

At linebacker, I see them keeping 4, so unless they decide to go thin at another spot, then they should go with just 4, as this is a norm for the 49ers since Kyle Shanahan, & John Lynch came in.

When it comes to the cornerback spot, I see both Samuel Womack, & Tariq Castro-Fields making it, along with Deommodore Lenoir, as I just can’t see any of them clearing waivers, with Dontae Johnson likely starting on the practice squad, and Jason Verrett beginning on reserve/PUP list or reserve/injured-designated-for-return list.

At the safety position is uncertainty, not at free safety, as Jimmie Ward will start, but at strong safety, where it’s going to come down to Tarvarius Moore, Talanoa Hufanga, or George Odum, with, in my opinion, Moore having the edge.

Now when it comes to the special teams unit, I believe it will be much better, with the likes of Oren Burks, George Odum added, plus new returner Ray-Ray McCloud, & 3^rd-round pick Danny Gray, who does have some experience, albeit, limited, at returning, so McCloud should be the teams’ primary returner, with Gray being the backup.

As for the teams’ undrafted free agents, I feel the players with the best chance to make the 53-man roster are, centers Dohnovan West, & Jason Poe, linebacker Jeremiah Gemmel, & strong safety Leon O’Neal Jr.

With all of that said, this is what my 53-man roster, practice squad, & injured lists would look like.

53-Man Roster:

1. QB 5 Trey Lance(2024)- $7,751,195
2. QB 7 Nate Sudfeld(2022)- $2,000,000
3. RB 25 Elijah Mitchell(2024)- $870,893
4. RB 22 Jeff Wilson Jr.(2022)- $1,085,000
5. RB 28 Trey Sermon(2024)- $1,107,485
6. RB — Tyrion Davis-Price(2025)- $928,826
7. FB 44 Kyle Juszcyzk(2025)- $2,958,750
8. WR 19 Deebo Samuel(2022)- $4,890,519
9. WR 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2023)- $3,417,641
10. WR 15 Jauan Jennings(2022)- $825,000
11. WR/KR/PR 3 Ray-Ray McCloud(2023)- $1,910,000
12. WR — Danny Gray(2025)- $917,255
13. TE 85 George Kittle(2025)- $7,679,765
14. TE 89 Charlie Woerner(2023)- $940,258
15. TE 82 Ross Dwelley(2022)- $1,047,500
16. C 50 Alex Mack(2022)- $5,075,000
17. C 64 Jake Brendel(2022)- $895,000
18. LG 65 Aaron Banks(2024)- $1,607,638
19. LG – Nick Zakelj(2025)- $752,590
20. RG 76 Jaylon Moore(2024)- $905,759
21. RG 60 Daniel Brunskill(2022)- $2,433,000
22. LT 71 Trent Williams(2026)- $14,031,765
23. LT 68 Colton McKivitz(2022)- $895,000
24. RT 69 Mike McGlinchey(2022)- $10,880,000
25. RT — Spencer Burford(2025)- $873,014
26. DE 97 Nick Bosa(2023)- $10,805,564
27. DE 56 Samson Ebukam(2022)- $8,250,000
28. DE 53 Kemoko Turay(2022)- $1,700,000
29. DE 92 Kerry Hyder Jr.(2022)- $1,500,000
30. DE — Drake Jackson(2025)- $1,071,344
31. DE 94 Charles Omenihu(2022)- $2,540,000
32. DT 91 Arik Armstead(2024)- $9,576,000
33. DT 90 Kevin Givens(2022)- $895,000
34. DT 96 Maurice Hurst Jr.(2022)- $945,000
35. NT 99 Javon Kinlaw(2023)- $4,224,191
36. NT 98 Hassan Ridgeway(2022)- $1,800,000
37. WLB 57 Dre Greenlaw(2022)- $2,620,429
38. MLB 54 Fred Warner(2026)- $8,134,588
39. MLB 48 Oren Burks(2023)- $1,408,000
40. SLB 51 Azeez Al-Shaair(2022)- $3,986,000
41. CB 35 Charvarius Ward(2024)- $3,800,000
42. CB 4 Emmanuel Moseley(2022)- $6,555,529
43. CB 20 Ambry Thomas(2024)- $1,087,693
44. CB 38 Deommodore Lenoir(2024)- $896,217
45. CB — Samuel Womack(2025)- $775,831
46. CB — Tariq Castro-Fields(2025)- $738,003
47. FS 1 Jimmie Ward(2022)- $12,935,588
48. FS 33 Tarvarius Moore(2022)- $1,035,000
49. SS 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024)- $885,038
50. SS 30 George Odum(2024)- $1,435,000
51. PK 9 Robbie Gould(2022)- $5,509,313
52. P 18 Mitch Wishnowsky(2022)- $1,156,018
53. LS 46 Taybor Pepper(2022)- $1,120,000

Practice Squad:

1. QB – Brock Purdy- $207,000
2. RB – Jacob Mason- $207,000
3. FB 40 Josh Hokit- $207,000
4. WR 6 Marcus Johnson*- $277,200
5. WR 17 Malik Turner*- $277,200
6. TE – Garrett Walston- $207,000
7. C – Dohnovan West- $207,000
8. C – Jason Poe- $207,000
9. RT 77 Alfredo Gutierrez**- $0
10. DE 75 Jordan Willis*- $277,200
11. WLB – Jeremiah Gemmel- $207,000
12. SLB 45 Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles- $207,000
13. CB – Qwuantrezz Knight- $207,000
14. CB 31 Darqueze Dennard*- $277,200
15. CB 27 Dontae Johnson*- $277,200
16. SS – Leon O’Neal Jr.- $207,000

Injured Lists:

1. NT – Kalia Davis(2025)- $738,003
2. CB 2 Jason Verrett(2022)- $895,000

With this roster the 49ers would have a cap commitment of $180,940,202 for the 53-man roster, 16-man practice squad, & 2 injured players, plus $14,586,195 in dead money, for a total cap commitment of $195,526,397, leaving them $17,847,764 under their 2022 adjusted cap.

Now, the team would get back some money in 2023, up-to $350,000 for Malik Turner, up-to $250,000 for Marcus Johnson, up-to $560,000 for Dontae Johnson, and base salary guarantees for UDFAs, like Dohnovan West($90,000), Leon O’Neal Jr.($50,000), & Jeremiah Gemmel($70,000), this is of course depended on these players making enough money during the 2022 season, so that’s potentially extra cap room they could get for 2023 in a form of adjustments/credits.

Finally, I want to say that I really tried to figure a way to keep UDFA signees center Dohnovan West, & strong safety Leon O’Neal Jr. on the 53-man roster, but it’s a numbers game, I have 48 locks, leaving 5 spots open, this is where I wish the NFL would have actually increased the roster size from 53 to 55.

And with that, I thank you for reading, leave a comment, or follow me on Twitter @49erscap.

About Author

Jason Hurley

Die Hard 49ers fan from New York, been covering the 49ers salary cap since 2005, with several different websites, including NinersNation.com, & the now defunct NinerCapHell, I have a track record of being as accurate as possible, & I try to be as thorough as possible.

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