The NFL Preseason is an opportunity for young players to climb depth charts while an unnerving experience for those on the roster bubble. Each snap when the 49ers host the Saints this Sunday is important, and each mistake will be even more catastrophic.
On a roster anchored by two MVP finalists and a former defensive player of the year, the 49ers’ season will not hinge on preseason outcomes. Yet, the 49ers will need clarity on some of their lingering questions.
Who replaces Brandon Aiyuk if traded? Insert 2024 31st overall pick, Ricky Pearsall.
Will Talanoa Hufanga be healthy in time for the regular season opener? Rookie safety Malik Mustapha might give the 49ers room to breathe.
With 90 men currently rostered and only 53 retainable, the August 27th cut-down day looms, leaving many players desperate for a job-saving performance this Sunday vs. the Saints.
Danny Gray:
https://gty.im/1448687894
The hopes were high for wide receiver Danny Gray when the 49ers selected him in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Gray was supposed to be the deep threat that opened Kyle Shanahan’s offense. Instead, he has been often injured, unreliable, and a mainstay on the inactive list.
Currently sitting as the eighth receiver on the depth chart, Gray has two opportunities left to impress. He has yet to play in the Preseason and has not recorded a catch since 2022. Maybe Gray can etch out a special teams role, but with 11 collegiate returns under his belt, his odds are near zero percent.
Cameron Latu:
https://gty.im/1580964893
The long list of 49ers’ failed third-round picks may have not one but two victims this season.
Tight End Cameron Latu was a questionable pick in 2023. He was a 6 foot 5 inch, 250-pound raw talent the 49ers thought would develop.
Latu has rewarded them by missing his rookie season after suffering a torn meniscus and, in year two, getting screamed out by his teammates not knowing the offense.
It has been a disaster. And despite Latu’s draft status, he is battling with 2023 seventh-round pick Brayden Willis and former undrafted free agent Jake Tonges for the final roster spot.
The worst part? Latu is losing with a combination of inconsistent play and lack of receiving growth. He has been the lamest duck in a room consisting of ugly ducklings.
Samuel Womack:
https://gty.im/1998872780
The 49ers have the deepest cornerback room under Kyle Shanahan. They have arguably a Top-10 duo in Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir and insulated the position by drafting Renardo Green in the second round, and signing key veteran Isaac Yiadom.
Instantly, four roster spots are reserved, and sophomore Darrell Luter Jr. has the promise to secure the fifth.
Ambry Thomas going down with a broken forearm increases Samuel Womack’s chance of securing a roster spot, but veteran Rock Ya-Sin has had the upper hand thus far. While Ya-Sin does not bring pedigree, his resume boasts a more proven track record, while Womack continues to struggle finding any role other than special team gunner.
Womack failed to win the nickelback role in 2022, did not see the field much in 2023, and the Niners added 295 special team snaps in the form of Chase Lucas this offseason.
Final Thoughts:
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Sunday vs. the Saints provides another shot for Gray, Latu, and Womack to make a name for themselves. It is the penultimate game of the 2024 Preseason and might be the same for their 49ers’ tenure.
With San Francisco in Super Bowl or Bust mode, they cannot afford to waste roster spots, especially with 30 injuries and counting piling up.
They need impact players to step in but Gray, Latu, and Womack have proven quite the opposite. Maybe all three can finally prove their worth tomorrow before time runs out.
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