The 49ers have built out their terrific roster in part because of their ability to quickly identify players who can or can’t help them get closer to winning a Super Bowl. They don’t typically waste a roster spot on player if they’re not sure the player is either going to contribute right a way or improve.
Their sometimes short leash puts a slew of players in precarious spots going into this year’s training camp. The 49ers have have six veterans on both sides of the ball who could either play real roles this year, or wind up not making the 53-man roster based on how they look through the preseason.
Let’s take a look at those six players:
Javon Kinlaw
The first step for Kinlaw is staying healthy throughout camp. Simply being on the field would provide a significant opportunity for him to take the strides he needs to take to improve as a player. An improved Kinlaw would have a major role on the interior of the 49ers’ defensive line this year. If he isn’t available or struggles in camp though, he could find himself on the outside looking in come final cuts.
Danny Gray
The 49ers aren’t above cutting a third-round pick if he struggles in his second training camp. They did it last year with running back Trey Sermon, and it could happen again this year with Gray. It’s clear that Gray has game-changing speed, but his inability to impact games as a rookie was disappointing. Versatility needs to become a bigger part of Gray’s game. He has the potential to be a major weapon in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s offense if he finds that in camp. His time in a 49ers uniform may depend on it.
Tyrion Davis-Price
Davis-Price is ostensibly in the same bucket as Gray. He’s a talented player brought in as a third-round pick last year who struggled to make an impact as a rookie. Davis-Price could easily go the way of Sermon if he doesn’t put together a good camp both on the ground and on special teams where he couldn’t carve out a role last year. A strong camp would put Davis-Price on the radar for a key reserve role behind Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell.
Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
The range of outcomes for Flannigan-Fowles is vast in this year’s camp. He could play himself into a starting Sam linebacker job where he may have a chance to become a long-term piece of the 49ers’ linebacking corps. He could also play himself off the roster. Flannigan-Fowles has been a special teams mainstay for San Francisco over the last few years, but with changes happening in that unit the team could opt to overhaul their depth chart with the pair of LBs they selected in this year’s draft.
Ambry Thomas
Expectations for Thomas were high going into 2022 after a strong finish to his 2021 rookie campaign. He fell way short of those expectations though. Thomas wasn’t a starter coming out of camp, and then he wasn’t in the mix once the 49ers had some turmoil in their secondary. It’s clear Thomas has the skills to be a quality NFL cornerback. He could make a run at a starting job with a good camp, and he could wind up missing a roster spot if he picks up where he left off last year.
Trey Lance
This is a make-or-break camp for Lance in a little bit different way than the other players on this list. It’s highly unlikely Lance is cut outright if he struggles in camp. However, it could ultimately slam the door that’s already closing on his time in San Francisco. On the other hand, a strong training camp where Lance shows tangible improvement would put him in line for a backup role and keep the door open for him to play and ultimately push his way back into the long-term QB conversation for the 49ers.
