The San Francisco 49ers submitted the 53-man roster, down from 90, on Sunday afternoon. As far as surprises go, there weren’t many, but there are takeaways from the roster and how the 49ers are going to operate with certain position groups.
Here are three takeaways from the 49ers’ 53-man roster:
Deebo Samuel allows the 49ers to carry three RBs and Kyle Juszczyk
The 49ers placed Isaac Guerendo on the reserve/PUP list, but the 49ers usually carry four running backs and their fullback. 49ers rookie Kaelon
Black impressed during the preseason, and the return of Jordan James instilled enough confidence in the organization to carry three running backs initially. Deebo Samuel will operate as the fourth running back and mix in with Christian McCaffrey.
Sincere McCormick made a push to crack the roster, but in a pinch, he can be called right back to Santa Clara. It remains to be seen if Black will spell McCaffrey more in 2026, but Samuel is a part of the plan at running back and allows the team flexibility.
The great left guard debate
If you wanted clarity on who will start at left guard in Australia against the Rams, the 53-man roster didn’t provide any. Carver Willis and Connor Colby were locks to make the roster, but the trade for interior offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson from Houston throws another option in the mix. With the week leading up to the season opener, Patterson is here as a veteran presence.
So who will it be? Will the 49ers start the rookie Willis, the second-year Colby, or opt for the veteran in Week 1? A week of practice will likely determine the starter.
Which linebacker(s) are headed to IR?
The 49ers have to create two spots for punter Corliss Waitman and long snapper Jon Weeks. It’s assumed that one or both, Luke Gifford or Nick Martin, will be placed on IR. Seven linebackers made the 53-man roster, but the 49ers are doing some gymnastics to fill all the spots.
Could Deion Jones make it back to the practice squad, or Jalen Graham (Editor’s note: Jalen Graham has signed to the practice squad)?
The team will need options on special teams at linebacker. Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Jaden Dugger, Tatum Bethune, and Garrett Wallow are a deep group of players, but it will be interesting to see the roster moves with the group.
