With a new NFL season around the corner, coaching staffs are starting to get a feel for the teams they will be marching into battle with. The San Francisco 49ers have spent the last few months solidifying their roster from top to bottom. With many key players returning from injury, the 49ers have a strong group, with most of the starting positions locked up.

There will be several depth positions available for grabs. After a disastrous 2020 season, the 49ers learned that quality depth at all position groups is critical. Here are a few players who find themselves on the roster bubble and will all need to stand out in training camp if they want to earn a roster spot.


Josh Rosen, QB


Marcell Harris, S


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On the defensive side, the secondary is another position group that was hit hard with injuries last season, and the 49ers were scrambling to find competent defenders to field on gamedays. One player who was thrown into the fire was safety Marcell Harris. In 2020, Harris played 348 snaps on which he mostly struggled, especially in coverage. According to Pro Football Focus, Harris had a 36.6 coverage grade and 40.6 overall grade, which ranked 92nd out of 94 eligible players.

Harris was drafted by the 49ers in the sixth round in 2018 and had a solid sophomore season in 2019. The 49ers extended his contract this offseason for one year in an effort to provide much-needed depth. After the extension, however, the 49ers drafted safety Talanoa Hufanga in the fifth round and signed Tony Jefferson to add to the current safety pool. Harris will need to have a strong training camp if he wants to make a case for a roster spot.

Kentavius Street, DI


Kentavius Street


Kentavius Street was a 4th-round selection in 2018 for the 49ers. He has racked up a total of 15 tackles in 18 games. Last season, he played 380 total snaps in 15 appearances. Pro Football Focus had him ranked as the 125th interior defender with an overall defensive grade of 32.6. Street struggled in run defense with a 29.1 grade but had more success as a pass rusher with a 58.5 grade.

The defensive line is fairly stacked, and it's a major question mark whether Dee Ford will be healthy enough to be active. Depth is key with this position group, so there are plenty of backup spots available. The 49ers used free agency to address the defensive line by signing Arden Key and Zach Kerr, who should secure their spots. Street has a tough fight ahead of him and will need to stand out and impress 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans if he wants to carve out a role on this line.

A team is only as strong as its depth players, and with the injury history the 49ers have, these positions are critical if they want a chance to get back to Super Bowl contention. There will be plenty of competition for these backup roles in training camp and it will be interesting to see who steps up and earns their places among the final 53.

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