San Francisco 49ers

Sincere McCormick

RB

McCormick was dropped by San Francisco in late May, but the team has decided to bring him back into the fold. The 25-year-old's last in-game NFL action came with the Raiders in 2024, when he appeared in five contests and rushed 39 times for 183 yards while catching six of seven targets for 29 yards.

George Kittle

TE

Kittle, coach Kyle Shanahan and GM John Lynch have all said Week 1 is the goal, with Kittle noting Wednesday that his surgeon (Dr. Neal ElAttrache) also said it was a realistic goal (back in mid-January when he underwent surgery). While he hasn't been cleared for football activities, Kittle remains a consistent presence at San Francisco's OTAs, doing side work and running with trainers. After Wednesday's practice, Kittle said it was the most he's run since suffering the Achilles' tear Jan. 11. Wagoner notes that the NFL's schedule won't help Kittle's bid to play Week 1, as the 49ers have a long haul to Australia on Sept. 2 ahead of their Sept. 11 matchup with the Rams in Melbourne.

Mike Evans

WR

"I pinch myself every day," said teammate George Kittle, who then told reporters that Evans caught "three to five" TDs in a red-zone period. Dominance in unpadded practices doesn't mean much, especially for a player who already has such a strong track record, but it's a good sign that Evans is fitting in with the 49ers and earning praise from fellow future Hall of Famers like Kittle and LT Trent Williams. The 32-year-old wideout seems to have been a full participant throughout the voluntary offseason program, acclimating quickly to Kyle Shanahan's offense.

Mac Jones

QB

Jones said Wednesday that he would be ready for training camp in July, so it doesn't seem like there's any major cause for concern. He should be considered the favorite to land San Francisco's backup job behind Brock Purdy in 2026.

Brandon Aiyuk

WR

Aiyuk's warrant relates to a December video posted of himself driving nearby the 49ers' stadium. San Francisco GM John Lynch said back in January that Aiyuk will not play for the team again, while head coach Kyle Shanahan said in late March during the NFL owners' meeting that the team is in "no rush" to release the wideout and would prefer to receive some form of compensation via a trade. The 49ers inked veteran wideouts Mike Evans and Christian Kirk in free agency to join third-year pro Ricky Pearsall, as well as selecting rookie De'Zhaun Stribling in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft at No. 33 overall. Aiyuk did not play in 2025 while rehabbing from ACL and MCL tears in his right knee that he sustained during the 2024 campaign, and he was placed on the reserve/left squad list last December.

Ashtyn Davis

S

Davis is coming off a solid season in Miami, where he recorded a career-high 65 tackles (43 solo) across 15 games. The 29-year-old had spent his entire five-year career with the Jets before signing with the Dolphins in 2025 and will look to earn a spot on San Francisco's Week 1 roster.

Christian McCaffrey

RB

"I think everything else can be monitored during the week or with a practice schedule or certain ways you train, whatever it may be," McCaffrey said. "But when it comes to game days, I like to think you prepare yourself for playing every snap." McCaffrey handled a career-high 413 touches during the 2025 regular season, leading the NFL in that category for the third time in his nine-year career. Head coach Kyle Shanahan said earlier in the offseason that the team would like to provide McCaffrey more help in the backfield to ensure the star running back stays fresh and effective down the stretch, but McCaffrey has no plans to cede a significant share of regular-season snaps to any of Jordan James, Kaelon Black, Isaac Guerendo (pectoral), Patrick Taylor, Jordan Mims or Jermar Jefferson, all of whom are competing for slotting behind McCaffrey on San Francisco's running back depth chart.

Darrick Forrest

S

It's not clear what kind of injury Forrest is dealing with, but he's now on track to spend the entire 2026 season on IR unless he negotiates an injury settlement with the 49ers. His absence could open up more opportunities for rookie undrafted free agents Jalen Stroman and Larry Worth.

Nick Bosa

DE

The five-time Pro Bowler is recovering from the torn ACL that he suffered during Week 3 of last season. Bosa underwent successful surgery last September after the injury and has offered nothing but positive updates since then.

Isaac Guerendo

RB

The running back suffered the injury while lifting "about a month ago," per David Lombardi of SFStandard.com. Guerendo is expected back near the end of training camp, though he did already undergo surgery, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. The 2024 fourth-round pick did not receive a single carry in 2025 despite appearing in 14 regular-season games.

Jacob Cowing

WR

The wide receiver is not only participating, but he apparently looks good, per Maiocco, who called him a standout during Thursday's session, and David Lombardi of SFStandard.com, who reported that coach Kyle Shanahan said he was impressed that Cowing was in such good shape. The 2024 fourth-round pick missed the 2025 campaign with a hamstring injury that he suffered in late August.

Jordan James

RB

Brian Robinson served as San Francisco's No. 2 back last season, but he's since joined Atlanta. That leaves James, Isaac Guerendo, rookie Kaelon Black, Patrick Taylor and Sincere McCormick to battle for position behind McCaffrey, who led the NFL with 413 regular-season touches last year. The 49ers may want to reduce McCaffrey's workload in 2026, but that could hinge on whether a reliable No. 2 back emerges from the above-mentioned group. Wagoner suggests that James has an inside track on the job based partly on his strong play during garbage time in the 49ers' blowout loss to Seattle in the NFC divisional round, when he rushed six times for 28 yards and caught his lone target for seven yards. That's a very small sample size and is far from a guarantee that James -- who didn't play until Week 16 last year -- will take hold of top backup role, though it's worth noting that Guerendo, who may be James' biggest competition for the job, appeared in 14 regular-season games in 2025 but didn't log a single snap on offense.

Kurtis Rourke

QB

Rourke was drafted in the seventh round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but because he spent the entire season on the reserve/non-football injury list as he recovered from a torn ACL he suffered in his final year at Indiana, he'll be eligible to participate in rookie minicamp. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, Rourke is competing with Adrian Martinez -- who has played one snap since entering the league in 2023 -- to be the No. 3 QB behind Brock Purdy and Mac Jones.

De'Zhaun Stribling

WR

It also doesn't hurt to have 4.36 speed at 6-foot-2, 207 pounds. Mock drafters nonetheless projected Stribling as a mid-round pick, for the most part, due to concerns about age (24 in December) and his lack of an elite statistical season in college (career highs of 882 yards and six TDs). Reasonable arguments both, though the latter concern is somewhat mitigated by his combination of early success (44-471-5 in 2021 at Washington State) and strong cumulative production (2,964 career receiving yards across three schools). It sounds like the 49ers are even more impressed by Stribling's intangibles/personality, having given him their "gold helmet" label -- a designation they use each year for a handful of prospects viewed as the best culture fits. The franchise clearly is invested in Stribling's success, but his immediate future may entail a not-so-glamorous competition for the No. 3 WR job in an offense that prefers FB Kyle Juszczyk over a third WR outside of clear passing situations. The 49ers also have Christian Kirk, Demarcus Robinson and 2025 fourth-round pick Jordan Watkins hoping to compete for depth roles behind Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall, both of whom missed large portions of 2025.

Kaelon Black

RB

Black was viewed by many as a reach in the third round, though 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan defended the pick by saying the team viewed Black as the second-best running back in the 2026 Draft class behind third overall pick Jeremiyah Love. San Francisco hasn't had much success drafting running backs in recent years and has yet to get much production out of James (a 2025 fifth-round pick) or Guerendo (a 2024 fourth-round pick). McCaffrey remains the team's undisputed lead back while healthy.

Patrick McMorris

S

McMorris spent the 2025 campaign on the Cardinals' practice squad but didn't appear in any games. The 24-year-old will now spend the remainder of the offseason competing for a spot on San Francisco's final roster.

Khalil Dinkins

TE

Dinkins caught 37 passes for 399 yards and seven touchdowns across his four seasons at Penn State. With George Kittle (Achilles) and Jake Tonges (foot) both dealing with injuries, Dinkins has a chance to make the team's final roster.

Will Pauling

WR

Pauling ended his final college season at Notre Dame, starting six games at wide receiver for the Fighting Irish. The 23-year-old accumulated 26 receptions for 381 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns over 12 contests as a fifth-year senior. Pauling's speed and quickness provide upside for him as a special-teams producer that can also develop offensive value. If he wants to survive the 49ers' cutdown day, he will have to make his versatile potential clear in training camp.

Wesley Grimes

WR

Grimes played two years at Wake Forest before transferring to North Carolina State for his final two collegiate seasons. The wide receiver caught 29 receptions for 430 receiving yards and three receiving touchdowns over 12 games during the 2025 season. Grimes is in for a tough training camp as he attempts to climb up the 49ers depth chart, currently topped by offseason addition Mike Evans.

Enrique Cruz Jr.

OT

Cruz (6-foot-6, 313 pounds) might lack the size and reach (33 and 3/4-inch arms) to stick at tackle, but the Kansas product is extremely athletic and might be able to develop into a noteworthy guard if tackle doesn't work out. It didn't work out at tackle when Cruz was at Syracuse from 2021 to 2024 -- he was benched as left tackle after starting there in his sophomore and junior years. Cruz played right tackle with more success for Kansas, but his 4.9 speed and 35-inch vertical still might work better at guard.

Jaden Dugger

LB

Dugger might need some seasoning after playing two years at Georgetown and two years at Louisiana, with only the 2025 season as starter in his two years with the Ragin' Cajuns. With that said, Dugger is the exact right type of developmental prospect to target in the late rounds, because at 6-foot-5, 242 pounds Dugger has good speed (4.61-second pro day 40) and remarkable reach (35-inch arms) for further development, potentially at either inside or outside linebacker.

Ephesians Prysock

CB

In a lot of ways, Prysock is similar to former Washington teammate Tacario Davis, who was selected in the third round (72nd overall) by the Bengals. Prysock (6-foot-3, 196 pounds) is also an unusually tall corner, and he was only trivially slower than Davis in the 40 (4.41 versus Prysock's 4.45). Also like Davis, Prysock's tall frame dictates that he focus at the boundary corner position, and ideally in press man coverage or Cover-3 principles to best capitalize on his height, reach and speed. With guys this tall they usually struggle against quicker, smaller receivers or/and with zone transitions, though.

Carver Willis

OT

Willis served at right tackle in each of his first five college seasons with Kansas State before moving to the left side of the offensive line in 2025 with Washington. The move was a good one for both the Huskies and Willis, the latter of whom was named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention despite missing three games due to a left knee injury. Willis excelled in the run game with his ability to seal and finish blocks, but whether he sees meaningful playing time in the NFL will depend on whether he can develop as a capable pass protector. He gives the Niners depth at offensive tackle behind Colton McKivitz and Trent Williams, the latter of whom is entering his age-38 season.

Gracen Halton

DT

Halton was deployed in multiple alignments on Oklahoma's defensive front during his four-year college career. He finished his senior year in 2025 with 33 total tackles, including 3.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two pass defenses across 13 games. Halton is a bit undersized for the position, but he can beat blockers early with his quick twitch off the snap, and he has the closing speed to chase down opposing ball carriers until the play is dead. Given the versatility he displayed in college, Halton should work in a rotational role on the Niners' defensive line that includes CJ West, Sebastian Valdez, Alfred Collins, Evan Anderson and Osa Odighizuwa (elbow).

Romello Height

DE

Height (6-foot-3, 239 pounds) largely rushed from the outside linebacker position during his breakout campaign with Texas Tech in 2025, when he totaled 38 tackles, including 10.0 sacks and 11.5 tackles for loss across 14 games. He lacks the prototypical size to succeed as an edge rusher at the NFL level, which could limit his upside to that of a rotational player, though having landed in San Francisco, Height is in solid position to thrive as a situational pass rusher behind Nick Bosa (ACL) and 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams (ACL).