Niners Nation
Youth movement, right? The San Francisco 49ers have a chance to reward their young talent with a roster spot on both sides of the ball. However, veterans tend to be the safer route as they are less volatile. Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh will have a handful of difficult choices to make at each position. Let’s try to help him out in this week’s bubble watch.
It’s nearly impossible to evaluate this group due to the numerous injuries. But those injuries have opened the door for a pair of recently signed edge rushers to make a name for themselves. The defensive tackles didn’t have nearly as much success against the Las Vegas Raiders as they did against the Denver Broncos. It was the edge rushers who impressed in Week 2. Specifically, Jaylon Allen and Trevis Gipson, who were the only players to record at least three pressures.
Allen won a couple of times in a similar fashion. He had an impressive win rate of 16.7 percent, compared to Gipson’s 9.1. Gipson won more with hustle, which isn’t a bad thing, but Allen’s wins felt more sustainable.
Nick Bosa, Bryce Huff, Yetur Gross-Matos (?), and Sam Okuayinonu feel like locks to make the roster. However, Sam O hasn’t played yet this preseason due to an injury, and Gross-Matos might be a PUP candidate. That means players like Allen and Gipson have one more chance to make their mark and show Saleh they can contribute meaningful snaps during the regular season.
Nick Martin looked like a player you draft in the third round against the Raiders. It was nice to see his speed and physicality on display. Luke Gifford has played 15 snaps during the preseason, and you can already see why he’s likely going to start on base downs and excel on special teams.
I struggle to believe that the 49ers will keep more than five linebackers, but Dee Winters’ injury history last year may not leave the team much choice. So we have Fred Warner, Tatum Bethune, and a question mark.
Chazz Surratt may have won a roster spot on Saturday. His competition, Curtis Robinson, missed a tackle and allowed some costly yards after the catch in the process.
Surratt not only led the team in tackles despite playing the 12th-most snaps of anybody, but he also added three run stops and looked comfortable in coverage and rushing the passer. It was the type of showing that Surratt needed to remind Saleh why he drafted him. Surratt likely pushed Robinson and Jalen Graham off the bubble watch.
Last week, I opined that the Niners should give Darrell Luter a shot on the roster over the veterans they signed in free agency this offseason. Let’s pretend that never happened, but I’m not sure Luter knows what he’s doing in coverage. If you can’t be trusted, you can’t...
