2 49ers Veterans are Putting 3 Draft Picks on the Roster Bubble

One of the most interesting depth chart battles at San Francisco 49ers training camp is the linebacker room. The 49ers' second preseason game should resolve a lot of the questions facing the room, with about three weeks until the start of the regular season.

Two Veterans Ahead of Three Draft Picks in Linebacker Battle

Perhaps it is due to the lack of experience from the draft picks and the trust of the rookies, but it was impossible not to notice that both Luke Gifford and Garrett Wallow appear to be ahead of Jaden Dugger, Nick Martin and Tatum Bethune on the linebacker depth chart.

Gifford was listed as the starter at SAM and was benched with the rest of the starters in the preseason opener. He started in the role last year and plays special teams. His job appears to be set.

Wallow was one of the two starters in the preseason opener and was the first starter pulled. He also started on special teams, but was done after two snaps.

Wallow started for the 49ers in the playoffs last year and has always been a special teams threat. The team pulled him before his fellow starter, Dugger, because they wanted Dugger to get more work as a rookie.

Still, Wallow being ahead of the other two and being pulled so early shows he might not be fighting for his spot as much.

The issue is that if these two are third and fourth behind Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw, one of their former draft picks will be the odd man out. The team is unlikely to keep seven linebackers, although it could happen.

Still, if they keep six, one of Dugger, Bethune or Martin will get cut. Bethune is entering year three, and the former seventh-round pick had starting chances last year. Martin is the highest drafted of the three, but the former third-round pick has not shown much entering his second season.

Dugger is a fifth-round rookie and has been moving all around the defense. On one hand, he was taken late, and they do not have a defined role. On the other hand, they are likely most high on his potential; he was the only one added by defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, and he started over Bethune and Martin.

The status of Gifford and Wallow should be followed in the second preseason game. Beyond that, Bethune against Martin could end up being a battle for one last spot.

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