With yesterday\u2019s news that 49ers EDGE rusher Jordan Willis will be suspended for the first 6 games of the 2021 season, now is a great time to look at a 53-man roster projection, along with the injured lists, & practice squad, along with analysis.<\/p>\n
OFFENSE:<\/strong><\/p>\n QB(3): 10 Jimmy Garoppolo(2022)\/ 5 Trey Lance(2024)\/ 7 Nate Sudfeld(2021) DEFENSE:<\/strong><\/p>\n DE(5): 97 Nick Bosa(2022)\/ 91 Arik Armstead(2024)\/ 56 Samson Ebukam(2022)\/ 98 Arden Key(2021)\/ 64 Alex Barrett(2021) SPECIAL TEAMS:<\/strong><\/p>\n PK(1): 9 Robbie Gould(2022) INJURED LISTS:<\/strong><\/p>\n PUP: RB 30 Jeff Wilson Jr.(2021) SUSPENDED:<\/strong><\/p>\n DE 94 Jordan Willis(2021)<\/p>\n PRACTICE SQUAD:<\/strong><\/p>\n QB 3 Josh Rosen* *Denotes player with 3 or more accrued seasons So, I decided to go with the maximum of 6 players with 3 or more accrued years on the practice squad.<\/p>\n With this roster, the 49ers would begin the season with $4,576,806 in salary cap room for 2021, but this is before the team extends Fred Warner, which should take up at least $3 million in cap room.<\/p>\n Now if the 49ers decided to cut Jordan Willis, they\u2019d begin the 2021 season with $5,143,473 in salary cap room.<\/p>\n The 49ers will have to create cap room, not just to extend Warner, but to also have cap space for in-season roster moves, so the 2 obvious candidates are Arik Armstead, which would save the team $4.528 million, and Laken Tomlinson, which would save the team $2.808 million.<\/p>\n If the 49ers decided to restructure both of these guys, the 49ers would have, before a Warner extension, $11,912,806, but with a Warner extension, $8,912,806, but if they decided to release Willis, those numbers would go up to $12,479,473 before a Warner extension, and $9,479,473 after a Warner extension.<\/p>\n Now, let\u2019s take a look at why I decided to go with who I went with.<\/p>\n Of the 53 players, I already had the following 46 players as locks to make the team.<\/p>\n QBs Garoppolo, & Lance, RBs Mostert, Sermon, & Mitchell, FB Juszyzck, WRs Aiyuk, Samuel, Sherfield, & Hurd, TEs Kittle, Dwelley, Woerner, & Pruitt, Cs Mack, & Brunskill, OGs Tomlinson, Banks, & McKkvitz, OTs Williams, McGlinchey, & Moore, DEs Armstead, Bosa, Ebukam, & Key, DTs Kinlaw, Givens, & Hurst, NTs Jones, & Kerr, LBs Warner, Greenlaw, & Al-Shaair, CBs Verrett, Moseley, Williams, Thomas, & Lenoir, FS Ward, SSs Tartt, Harris, & Hufanga, PK Gould, P Wishnowsky, & LS Pepper.<\/p>\n So, I had 7 open roster spots.<\/p>\n For the 3rd QB, I went with Sudfeld, as I still believe he\u2019s better than Rosen, plus if the team decides to keep Rosen over Sudfeld, they\u2019d have a $252,000 dead money charge for Sudfeld if the team kept Sudfeld on the practice squad, which would leave the team with $11,660,806 before a Warner extension, $8,660,806 with a Warner extension, also if they released Willis, their cap room would go up to $12,227,473 before a Warner extension, or $9,227,473 after a Warner extension.<\/p>\n Next up is the teams 4th RB, I feel that Mostert, Sermon & Mitchell are locked into roster spots, I just don\u2019t see the 49ers waiving Mitchell, as I don\u2019t think he\u2019ll clear waivers, so the competition is between Wayne Gallman Jr., & JaMycal Hasty.<\/p>\n The team could decide to keep Hasty, who would make $780,000 if he makes the team, over Gallman, would only save $70,000 in cap room, since Gallman would make $850,000, but Gallman\u2019s salary would become guaranteed week 1 if he\u2019s on the 53-man roster, but Gallman\u2019s experience gives him the edge over Hasty.<\/p>\n The teams 5th & 6th WRs, I decided to go with the veteran Sanu, along with the youth in Jennings, which leaves Richie James Jr. as the odd man out.<\/p>\n Both Sanu & Jennings had solid showings during the limited amount of practices the team had before canceling the rest of the teams offseason workout program.<\/p>\n I had a dilemma about whether to keep a 9th OL, or a 10th DL, I could have went with someone like Shon Coleman, Tom Compton or Senio Kelemete, but that would guarantee their salaries for the season.<\/p>\n While the suspension to Willis leaves a hole for the potential 5th EDGE rusher, so I debated having someone like Alex Barrett, or keeping Darrion Daniels, who is primarily a nose tackle.<\/p>\n So I decided to go with a 10th DL, that being Barrett, as his salary won\u2019t be guaranteed, nor would he be likely to see the field, now if Dee Ford is ready, he makes the team.<\/p>\n While we\u2019re talking about Ford, I have him actually making the initial 53, while leaving Gallman off the roster for 1 day, that way the team can place Ford on injured reserve without losing him for the season, so basically short term injured reserves, while Gallman would be re-signed the next day.<\/p>\n Next up is the teams 4th LB, I went with James Burgess Jr., mainly due to Nathan Gerry being hurt at this moment, but the 4th LB spot is a competition between Burgess, Gerry, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Justin Hilliard, Elijah Sullivan, & Jonas Griffith.<\/p>\n Finally is the teams backup free safety, which is now an open competition due to Tarvarius Moore tearing his Achilles, with the main players competing being Tony Jefferson, & Tavon Wilson.<\/p>\n Now both can play both safety spots, but I went with Jefferson, despite his history with his torn ACL from 2019, I feel Jefferson, if healthy, would be the right choice.<\/p>\n As for 2022, the team, with this roster, with a Warner extension, assuming he has a small 2022 cap number, likely around $5.5 million, they\u2019d have 31 players signed, accounting for $192,366,308 along with $7,329,182 in dead money, so if the 2022 cap does come in at $208.2 million, they\u2019d have $2,291,150 in cap room, but that\u2019s counting only the 32 players + dead money, so when factoring in the top 51 rule, they\u2019d be $4,890,490 over the 2022 cap.<\/p>\n But we also have to factor in the 3 players that should or could see their 2022 base salaries escalate due to the proven performance escalator, which would see Deebo Samuel, Dre Greenlaw, & Mitch Wishnowsky\u2019s base salaries go up to $2.396 million, but Greenlaw would get an extra $250,000 for playing in 55% of the teams defensive snaps over all their first 3 seasons, so that\u2019s an additional $3,513,360 added to the teams payroll, which leaves the team $8,403,850 over the 2022 cap.<\/p>\n Now we all know Jimmy Garoppolo won\u2019t be back in 2022, so when the 49ers release or trade him, they\u2019ll save, after factoring in the top 51 rule, $24.895 million in cap room, giving them $16,491,150 in cap room to begin the 2022 offseason.<\/p>\n The 49ers could save $6.795 million if the team moves on from Jimmie Ward, which would give the team $23,286,150, which would be plenty of cap room to re-sign their core free agents, along with adding a free agent or 2 like they did with Alex Mack, & Samson Ebukam this offseason.<\/p>\n Below are the pending free agents the 49ers would have with my projected roster.<\/p>\n UFAs:<\/strong><\/p>\n QB Nate Sudfeld RFAs:<\/strong><\/p>\n C Daniel Brunskill ERFAs:<\/strong><\/p>\n WR Jauan Jennings I\u2019d imagine the 49ers would prioritize bringing back, depending on how well they play in 2021, running backs Raheem Mostert, & Jeff Wilson Jr., left guard Laken Tomlinson, nose tackle D.J. Jones, cornerbacks Jason Verrett, & K\u2019Waun Williams, and strong safety Jaquiski Tartt.<\/p>\n The team could also bring back guys like running back Wayne Gallman Jr., wide receiver Trent Sherfield, tight ends Ross Dwelley, & MyCole Pruitt, defensive end Arden Key, defensive tackle Maurice Hurst Jr., nose tackle Zach Kerr, free safety\u2019s Tony Jefferson & Tarvarius Moore, and strong safety Marcell Harris.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll notice that I left over Daniel Brunskill, Azeez Al-Shaair, Jauan Jennings, & Kevin Givens, well that\u2019s because those players are either RFAs or ERFAs, which can be retained via their tender, or they could outright sign the RFAs like they did this offseason with Jeff Wilson Jr., Ross Dwelley, Emmanuel Moseley, Marcell Harris, & Taybor Pepper to deals that, besides Moseley, paid them less than their tender would have.<\/p>\n As for the players I listed as other players that they\u2019d like to keep, most could be kept for the league minimum.<\/p>\n So, as I\u2019ve said in the past, I was very very worried about the 2021 offseason, but when it comes to the 2022 offseason, aside from the idea of Fred Warner not being extended this offseason, which I\u2019d say is a 0% chance, 2022 doesn\u2019t worry me, they don\u2019t have a Trent Williams or Kyle Juszyzck level of player that\u2019s a pending free agent.<\/p>\n I also envision the 49ers looking to extend some of their pending 2023 free agents, mainly Deebo Samuel, & Dre Greenlaw, while Nick Bosa is a high priority to extend, he\u2019ll have his 5th-year option picked up, which as of now, would count $16.788 million, which is the transition tag amount, now if he makes the pro bowl this season, then he\u2019ll get the franchise tag amount, which would be $20.274 million, these are all assuming the cap comes in at the ceiling of $208.2 million.<\/p>\n If I\u2019d have to guess on what the 2022 cap\u2019s floor would be, it\u2019d be between $198 million to $200 million, which would be between a $8.2 million to $10.2 million less than the ceiling, but let\u2019s hope the cap does come in as close to the ceiling of $208.2 million.<\/p>\n
\nRB(4): 31 Raheem Mostert(2021)\/ 28 Trey Sermon(2024)\/ 22 Wayne Gallman Jr.(2021)\/ 49 Elijah Mitchell(2024)
\nFB(1): 44 Kyle Juszyzck(2025)
\nWR(6): 11 Brandon Aiyuk(2023)\/ 19 Deebo Samuel(2022)\/ 81 Trent Sherfield(2021)\/ 14 Jalen Hurd(2022)\/ 18 Mohamed Sanu Sr.(2021)\/ 15 Jauan Jennings(2021)
\nTE(4): 85 George Kittle(2025)\/ 82 Ross Dwelley(2021)\/ 89 Charlie Woerner(2023)\/ 88 MyCole Pruitt(2021)
\nC(2): 50 Alex Mack(2023)\/ 60 Daniel Brunskill(2021)
\nOG(3): 75 Laken Tomlinson(2021)\/ 65 Aaron Banks(2024)\/ 68 Colton McKivitz(2023)
\nOT(3): 71 Trent Williams(2026)\/ 69 Mike McGlinchey(2022)\/ 76 Jaylon Moore(2024)<\/p>\n
\nDT(3): 99 Javon Kinlaw(2023)\/ 90 Kevin Givens(2021)\/ 96 Maurice Hurst Jr.(2021)
\nNT(2): 93 D.J. Jones(2021)\/ 92 Zach Kerr(2021)
\nLB(4): 54 Fred Warner(2021)\/ 57 Dre Greenlaw(2022)\/ 51 Azeez Al-Shaair(2021)\/ 48 James Burgess Jr.(2021)
\nCB(5): 2 Jason Verrett(2021)\/ 4 Emmanuel Moseley(2022)\/ 24 K\u2019Waun Williams(2021)\/ 20 Ambry Thomas(2024)\/ 38 Deommodore Lenoir(2024)
\nFS(2): 1 Jimmie Ward(2022)\/ 23 Tony Jefferson(2021)
\nSS(3): 26 Jaquiski Tartt(2021)\/ 36 Marcell Harris(2021)\/ 29 Talanoa Hufanga(2024)<\/p>\n
\nP(1): 6 Mitch Wishnowsky(2022)
\nLS(1): 46 Taybor Pepper(2022)<\/p>\n
\nIR: RT 67 Justin Skule(2022)
\nShort Term IR: DE 55 Dee Ford(2022)
\nPUP\/IR: FS 33 Tarvarius Moore(2021)<\/p>\n
\nRB 23 JaMycal Hasty
\nFB 40 Josh Hokit
\nWR 7 Austin Watkins Jr.
\nTE 83 Josh Pederson
\nC 64 Jake Brendel*
\nRG 61 Dakoda Shepley
\nLT 78 Shon Coleman*
\nLT 77 Alfredo Gutierrez**
\nNT 65 Darrion Daniels
\nWLB 47 Nathan Gerry*
\nMLB 59 Elijah Sullivan
\nSLB 58 Justin Hilliard
\nCB 27 Dontae Johnson*
\nFS 7 Jared Mayden
\nFS 32 Tavon Wilson*<\/p>\n
\n**Denotes player who is exempt from the practice squad limit, & doesn’t count against the cap<\/p>\n
\nRB Raheem Mostert
\nRB Jeff Wilson Jr.
\nRB Wayne Gallman Jr.
\nWR Trent Sherfield
\nWR Mohamed Sanu Sr.
\nTE Ross Dwelley
\nTE MyCole Pruitt
\nLG Laken Tomlinson
\nDE Arden Key
\nDE Jordan Willis
\nDT Maurice Hurst Jr.
\nNT D.J. Jones
\nNT Zach Kerr
\nWLB James Burgess Jr.
\nCB Jason Verrett
\nCB K\u2019Waun Williams
\nFS Tony Jefferson
\nFS Tarvarius Moore
\nSS Jaquiski Tartt
\nSS Marcell Harris<\/p>\n
\nSLB Azeez Al-Shaair<\/p>\n
\nDE Alex Barrett
\nDT Kevin Givens<\/p>\n