We attempted to project the San Francisco 49ers’ depth chart for the 2025 NFL season. As the team heads into Phase III of OTAs, we’ll make our prediction of who will make the final cut down to 53 players. This will be a multiple-part series, as we’ll revisit this a week into training camp and once the preseason has concluded.

Offense
Quarterback: Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Tanner Mordecai (3) [3]

If Kurtis Rourke were healthy, I’d take him as QB3, comfortably, over Mordecai. In an ideal world, we don’t spend any time discussing Rourke, Mordecai, or Jones this season because Purdy stays healthy.

The Niners weren’t fortunate enough for that to happen last season. The pressure is on the $53 million man not only to stay healthy but to continue ascending into the quarterback the Niners paid him to be.

Running back: Christian McCaffrey, Isaac Guerendo, Jordan James, Kyle Juszczyk, Patrick Taylor Jr. (5) {8}

I’m curious if Juszczyk will revert back to playing more in the backfield this season. He’s essentially been TE2 during the previous two seasons. The usage of every player listed here is contingent on McCaffrey’s health.

The 49ers would love for McCaffrey to remain healthy and play all season. It’s easy to say, “Lighten his workload” in May. Then, the games start, and, from a play-caller perspective, how could you not force-feed a player of CMC’s caliber?

Wide receiver: Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, Isaiah Neyor (6) [14]

Barring a miraculous recovery, Brandon Aiyuk begins the season on the PUP list and won’t count against the final 53. The team kept seven wideouts last year, presumably because they knew it would take time for Aiyuk to get up to speed.

You’re up, Ricky Pearsall. Contributions from Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, and or any youngster could go a long way. Veteran Demarcus Robinson was brought over to provide Brock with a reliable speedster. Good luck figuring out how the targets will work with Aiyuk sidelined. The only thing we’re sure about is Jauan Jennings having an encore type of season.

Neyor is this year’s fan favorite after showing out during the preseason and not giving the coaching staff a chance for another team to pluck him from the practice squad.

Tight end: George Kittle, Luke Farrell (2) [16]

Juszczyk’s addition means the 49ers won’t have to waste a roster spot on a tight end that might help them on special teams. Ross Dwelley is back, but we don’t think he’ll do enough in August to beat out somebody who will contribute at a greater position of need.

If the Niners end up keeping another tight end, as they did with Jake Tonges last year, it’d be to feature Kittle in the passing game more. Farrell can do the dirty work as a blocker, and Juice can be the “other” tight end on the field, so it still feels like an unnecessary move.

Offensive line: Trent Williams, Matt Hennessy, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Ben Bartch, Andre Dillard, Nicholas Petit-Frere, Spencer Burford (9) [25]

We have Hennessy starting at left guard. Regardless of whether Bartch wins that job, the 49ers have a solid foundation along the interior after striking gold in the third round of the 2024 NFL Draft with Dominick Puni.

Dillard, Petit-Frere, and Burford each have the ability to play tackle. This unit should take a step forward this season, as Aaron Banks could be viewed as an addition by subtraction, while McKivitz improved in 2024.

The 49ers were fortunate to have Jaylon Moore last year in Williams’s absence. They won’t be as lucky if Trent suffers an injury this year.

Defense
Defensive line: Nick Bosa, Alfred Collins, CJ West, Mykel Williams, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jordan Elliott, Kevin Givens, Sam Okuayinonu, Evan Anderson (9) [34]

We believe this is the season the 49ers move away from fifth-rounder Robert Beal Jr. in favor of Sam O’s pass rush upside. There’s also little reason to believe Kalia Davis could give the team more than what Evan Anderson showed last season.

As long as Kevin Givens has a pulse, he’ll make the roster while Jordan Elliott shows West the ropes.

The kids are going to play a lot, whether they’re ready or not. Every year, the defense has gone as far as the line would take them. That won’t change this year under Robert Saleh.

Linebacker: Fred Warner, Dee Winters, Nick Martin, Tatum Bethune, Luke Gifford (5) [39]

This position group is as straightforward as it gets. They’ll revolve around 54 and hope Winters and Martin stay healthy while relying on Bethune and Gifford on special teams.

We were tempted to put Curtis Robinson on here, but injuries and uncertainties in the secondary limit Saleh to five linebackers.

Cornerback: Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Tre Brown, Darrell Luter Jr., Siran Neal, Upton Stout (6) [45]

Your guess is as good as mine. Stout could easily be listed as a safety. Neal might not even make the roster, but he’s here, thanks to the process of elimination.

I go back and forth daily about how Green will look in Year 2. If we’re thinking in terms of skill set, Luter Jr. should have every opportunity to win the CB3 job. However, Brown has starting experience in this league.

Safety: Ji’Ayir Brown, Richie Grant, Jason Pinnock, Marques Sigle, George Odum (5) [50]

Gulp.

I don’t think Brown is anywhere near as bad as most fans believe him to be.

I don’t think Brown can be the best safety on your roster.

Until Malik Mustapha returns, we expect a trial and error, roulette style at safety. After watching Pinnock with the Giants, you want him near the line of scrimmage, but he’s limited elsewhere. Odum is a special teamer, while Grant lost his spot. That leaves a Day 3 rookie next to Brown if it comes to that.

If the Niners struggle this season, it’ll be because of their inability to prevent big plays on the backend. Safety is not an area where you want to be weak in the league with deep passing and running plays that get to the edge and leave safeties in a vulnerable position.

Get well soon, Malik.

Special teams: LS Jon Weeks, P Mitch Wishnowsky, K Jake Moody (3) [53]

Make your kicks. Pin opponents inside the 20. Snap the ball accurately. Make sure every punt and kick have enough hang time for your coverage teams to get down and cover the kicks.

The 49ers have been abysmal on special teams for far too long. They’ve gotten away with it thanks to having elite scoring offenses or stingy defenses, but it bit them in the behind last season. That led to another coaching change.

Will we see any differences in 2025? We’ll believe it once we see it.