Today I\u2019ve 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).<\/p>\n
Below is how I currently see the 2022 roster as it stands, with locks in bold.<\/p>\n
Offense:<\/p>\n
QB(4):\u00a05 Trey Lance(2024),<\/strong>\u00a010 Jimmy Garoppolo(2022),<\/em>\u00a07 Nate Sudfeld(2022),<\/strong>\u00a0& — Brock Purdy(2025) Defense:<\/p>\n DE(9):\u00a097 Nick Bosa(2023), 56 Samson Ebukam(2022), 92 Kerry Hyder Jr.(2022), 53 Kemoko Turay(2022), <\/strong>94 Charles Omenihu(2022), — Drake Jackson(2025),<\/strong>\u00a075 Jordan Willis(2022), 55 Dee Ford(2022), & 58 Alex Barrett(2022) Special Teams:<\/p>\n PK(1):\u00a09 Robbie Gould(2022)<\/strong> Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n At quarterback, I just can\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n At running back, I see JaMycal Hasty as the odd man out, especially after the Tyrion Davis-Price pick.<\/p>\n When it comes to the teams\u2019 wide receivers, I think it\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t look particularly great or even good, with Charlie Woerner overtaking him as the #2 TE.<\/p>\n On the offensive line there are a lot of questions to be answered, like, who will be the teams\u2019 right guard? Left guard? Center? Will Alex Mack come back? I can\u2019t 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\u2019s health, and I expect Daniel Brunskill, & Colton McKivitz to win backup spots, as they\u2019re both versatile, and still young.<\/p>\n 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 6th<\/sup> 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n At the safety position is uncertainty, not at free safety, as Jimmie Ward will start, but at strong safety, where it\u2019s going to come down to Tarvarius Moore, Talanoa Hufanga, or George Odum, with, in my opinion, Moore having the edge.<\/p>\n 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, & 3rd<\/sup>-round pick Danny Gray, who does have some experience, albeit, limited, at returning, so McCloud should be the teams\u2019 primary returner, with Gray being the backup.<\/p>\n As for the teams\u2019 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\u2019Neal Jr.<\/p>\n With all of that said, this is what my 53-man roster, practice squad, & injured lists would look like.<\/p>\n 53-Man Roster:<\/strong><\/p>\n Practice Squad:<\/strong><\/p>\n Injured Lists:<\/strong><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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\u2019Neal Jr.($50,000), & Jeremiah Gemmel($70,000), this is of course depended on these players making enough money during the 2022 season, so that\u2019s potentially extra cap room they could get for 2023 in a form of adjustments\/credits.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n
\nRB(6):\u00a025 Elijah Mitchell(2024), 22 Jeff Wilson Jr.(2022), 28 Trey Sermon(2024), — Tyrion Davis-Price(2025),<\/strong>\u00a023 JaMycal Hasty(2022), & — Jordan Mason(2024)
\nFB(2):\u00a044 Kyle Juszcyzk(2025),<\/strong>\u00a0& 40 Josh Hokit(2022)
\nWR(12):\u00a019 Deebo Samuel(2022), 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2023), 15 Jauan Jennings(2022), 3 Ray-Ray McCloud(2023), — Danny Gray(2025),<\/strong>\u00a017 Malik Turner(2022), 6 Marcus Johnson(2022), 81 Austin Mack(2022), 83 Connor Wedington(2022), — KeeSean Johnson(2022), — Tay Martin(2024), & — Taysir Mack(2024)
\nTE(6):\u00a085 George Kittle(2025), 89 Charlie Woerner(2023), 82 Ross Dwelley(2022),<\/strong>\u00a084 Tanner Hudson(2022), 88 Jordan Matthews(2022), & — Garrett Walston(2024)
\nC(4):\u00a050 Alex Mack(2023),<\/strong>\u00a064 Jake Brendel(2022), — Dohnovan West(2024), & — Jason Poe(2024)
\nOG(5):\u00a065 Aaron Banks(2024), 76 Jaylon Moore(2024), 60 Daniel Brunskill(2022),<\/strong>\u00a0— Nick Zakelj(2025), & 66 Keaton Sutherland(2022)
\nOT(7):\u00a071 Trent Williams(2026), 69 Mike McGlinchey(2022), — Spencer Burford(2025), 68 Colton McKivitz(2022),<\/strong>\u00a067 Justin Skule(2022), Sam Schlueter(2024), & 77 Alfredo Gutierrez(2022)<\/p>\n
\nDT(4):\u00a091 Arik Armstead(2024),<\/strong>\u00a090 Kevin Givens(2022), 96 Maurice Hurst Jr.(2022), & — Kevin Atkins(2024)
\nNT(4):\u00a099 Javon Kinlaw(2023), 98 Hassan Ridgeway(2022),<\/strong>\u00a0— Kalia Davis(2025),<\/strong>\u00a0& 78 Chris Slayton(2022)
\nLB(9): 54 Fred Warner(2026), 57 Dre Greenlaw(2022), 51 Azeez Al-Shaair(2022), 48 Oren Burks(2023),<\/strong> 45 Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles(2022), 59 Curtis Robinson(2022), — Jeremiah Gemmel(2024), — Segun Olubi(2024), & — Marcelino McCrary-Ball(2024)
\nCB(12):\u00a035 Charvarius Ward(2024), 4 Emmanuel Moseley(2022), 20 Ambry Thomas(2024), 38 Deommodore Lenoir(2024),<\/strong>\u00a027 Dontae Johnson(2022),\u00a0— Samuel Womack(2025), — Tariq Castro-Fields(2025), 2 Jason Verrett(2022),<\/strong>\u00a031 Darqueze Dennard(2022), 24 Ka’dar Hollman(2022), — Qwuantrezz Knight(2024), & — Tayler Hawkins(2024)
\nS(5):\u00a01 Jimmie Ward(2022), 33 Tarvarius Moore(2022), 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024), 30 George Odum(2024)<\/strong>, & — Leon O’Neal Jr.(2024)<\/p>\n
\nP(1):\u00a018 Mitch Wishnowsky(2022)<\/strong>
\nLS(1):\u00a046 Taybor Pepper(2022)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
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