3 Bubble Players Who'll be Impacted Most by no Preseason Games
The NFL and NFLPA have agreed to cancel all four preseason games ahead of the 2020 season. In the agreement, it's also been declared that the roster size will go from 90 players down to 80. However, practice squads have been expanded to 16 players, giving teams more flexibility while playing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The 49ers will have to cut 10 players prior to training camp officially ramping up. Theoretically, the starting spots for the 49ers are already set with the exception of their No. 2 cornerback position. However, with no preseason games prior to breaking camp, certain players may have an even bigger obstacle to face in order to crack the final roster.
Here are three roster bubble players who'll be impacted most by no preseason games:
WR Dante Pettis
Coming out of Washington, Dante Pettis was a highly-coveted wide receiver and returner. The production hasn't translated into the NFL and, as we sit here today, the jury remains out on Pettis.
Training camp is going to hold a lot of weight for his future in San Francisco. The 49ers have a lot of questions surrounding their wide-receiver group, which entails the surplus of pass-catchers who must make a superior sales pitch to the coaching staff in order to crack the Week 1 roster.
Without preseason games, Pettis is going to have a tough hill to climb. He needs to prove that he can eliminate the drop issues that he has faced in the past, and be able to create separation when defensive backs get a hand on him or play press coverage.
Unfortunately, without having a glance of Pettis in game situations, he'll be a much tougher evaluation for the coaching staff. His time with the 49ers could be in jeopardy.
RB JaMycal Hasty
The 49ers averaged the second-most rushing yards per game in the NFL last season, yet they're set to enter training camp with hard-hitting inquiries regarding the depth of the position:
Where do Raheem Mostert and the 49ers truly stand after their recent disconnect? Will Jerrick McKinnon finally be healthy? Which version of Tevin Coleman will the 49ers get in 2020? Will this be the year that Jeff Wilson Jr. gets more touches?
With those questions on the table, undrafted free agent JaMycal Hasty was an intriguing under-the-radar option who could sneak his way into the mix. Hasty's recognition throughout the football landscape during his time at Baylor comes from his shifty moves in making defenders miss and fighting for extra yards while embracing contact.
Additionally, Hasty was also a standout on special teams. Without being able to see how Hasty hits the holes in games and contributes to the 49ers special teams unit, he'll be at a drastic disadvantage. During training camp, special teams are typically non-contact so his ability in that sense will be greatly abbreviated.
His chances of making the team may have lessened but, on the bright side, the increased number of practice-squad players have gone up, and that could be where Hasty ends up.
CB Jason Verrett
Arguably the 49ers' thinnest position is cornerback. This offseason they re-signed Jason Verrett to add depth, Verrett hasn't played more than 10 games over his last four seasons combined. The last time Verrett was healthy, he was rewarded with a Pro Bowl nod. The issue is his availability.
After not seeing Verrett play on a consistent basis for nearly four seasons, the elimination of preseason games is a mammoth blow for his sales pitch.
The 49ers essentially have four cornerbacks who are locks to make the team: Richard Sherman, K'Waun Williams, Emmanuel Moseley and Ahkello Witherspoon. That leaves roughly two additional spots in which Verrett will have to fight it out during camp.
Time will tell if he can do so.
