Grading the 49ers' 53-Man Roster Position by Position

How good is it?

San Francisco 49ers offensive tackle Trent Williams (71) on the bench during the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

The 49ers just announced their 53-man roster for 2025. Let's grade it position by position, and then let's give the roster an overall grade at the end.

Keep in mind, the 49ers will make changes to their roster between now and Week 1. For example, they released punter Thomas Morstead this afternoon but plan to bring him back after some more roster shuffling this week. Meaning there is no such thing as a "final roster."

Quarterback (2)

Brock Purdy & Mac Jones.

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Grade: A-minus

This might be the best position group on the team. Purdy isn't quite elite, but he is a second-tier starting quarterback, which means he's terrific. And while Mac Jones struggled as a starter the past couple years, he is a good backup who fits the 49ers' system perfectly. So if Purdy were to miss time, the 49ers should be able to win with Jones. Ideally, they would have a talented third quarterback as well considering how frequently their players get injured.

Running back (5)

Christian McCaffrey, Brian Robinson Jr., Isaac Guerendo, Jordan James & Kyle Juszczyk.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Christian McCaffrey is coming off a miserable season and needs to prove he can stay healthy before he can carry the offense like he did during his prime. Fortunately for the 49ers, they recently traded for Brian Robinson Jr., who is a solid starting running back and an outstanding backup to McCaffrey because they complement each other. Behind these two, the 49ers have two question marks in Guerendo and James.

Grade: B-plus

Wide receiver (5)

Ricky Pearsall, Jauan Jennings, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing & Skyy Moore.

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Skyy Moore. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Grade: B-minus

When Brandon Aiyuk and Demarcus Robinson return, this group will grade much higher. But for now, the starters are Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings, and Jennings technically has a calf injury. And if the 49ers don't give him a raise, he might not play Week 1. Expect the 49ers to re-sign veteran Robbie Chosen in the next few weeks if he's still available.

Tight end (3)

George Kittle, Luke Farrell, & Jake Tonges.

San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle. | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Grade: A-minus

This also might be the best position group on the team. Kittle is the best tight end in football, Farrell is a quality backup with starting experience and Tonges can play tight end or fullback. This is the deepest tight end room the 49ers have had under Kyle Shanahan.

Offensive line (10)

Trent Williams, Ben Bartch, Jake Brendel, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Spencer Burford, Connor Colby, Drew Moss, Austen Pleasants & Matt Hennessy.

San Francisco 49ers offensive lineman Trent Williams. | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Grade: C

When Trent Williams is healthy, this group is average. When he's out, it might be the worst offensive line in the league. The backup left tackle is Spencer Burford, who's a guard. But rookies Connor Colby and Drew Moss both showed promise during the preseason. If only the 49ers had a young tackle they could say that about.

Defensive line (11)

Nick Bosa, Jordan Elliott, Mykel Williams, Alfred Collins, C.J. West, Kalia Davis, Bryce Huff, Sam Okuayinonu, Evan Anderson, Robert Beal Jr. & Yetur Gross-Matos.

San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Nick Bosa. | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

Grade: C-minus

This might be the worst position group on the team. Beyond Nick Bosa, the 49ers have zero proven players. Bryce Huff had a good season two years ago, and there are a few rookies who have serious potential. But it could take this group a while to come into its own.

Linebacker (5)

Fred Warner, Dee Winters, Nick Martin, Luke Gifford & Tatum Bethune.

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Grade: A-minus

Another contender for best position group on the team. Fred Warner certainly is the 49ers' best player. Losing Dre Greenlaw hurts, but Dee Winters is ascending and Nick Martin looks like he could be special when he develops.

Safety (4)

Jason Pinnock, Marques Sigle, Ji'Ayir Brown & Richie Grant.

San Francisco 49ers safety Marques Sigle. | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Grade: C-plus

This group will improve when Malik Mustapha returns from his latest ACL surgery sometime around Week 5. In the meantime, the 49ers will start Jason Pinnock, who's on his third team, and Marques Sigle, a rookie.

Cornerback (6)

Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Darrell Luter Jr. Siran Neal & Chase Lucas.

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Deommodore Lenoir. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Grade: B

It remains to be seen whether the 49ers have a true no. 1 cornerback on the team, but they have three good starters in Lenoir, Green and Stout. They also have quality depth in Luter and Lucas. This group has the potential to improve.

Special teams (2)

Jake Moody & Jon Weeks.

San Francisco 49ers place kicker Jake Moody. | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Grade: D

The 49ers released punter Thomas Morstead but plan to re-sign him in the next few days. The fact that they cut him and not Jake Moody is ridiculous. Moody should not be on this team.

Overall grade: B-minus

The 49ers have one excellent player at every position group, but are lacking depth across their roster. If they can stay healthy, they have the ability to win 11 or 12 games this season. If they have more injury issues, they could lose 11 or 12 games. Their season depends on the health of Purdy, McCaffrey, Kittle, Williams, Bosa, Warner and Lenoir.