49ers 53-man roster projection: Preseason Week 2

The 49ers are a couple days away from their second preseason game of the year, which means we're a little bit closer to first cuts down to 75 players, and then the final cuts down to 53 players. The first cuts likely will not impact our 53-man roster projection given that those first 15 are guys right at the bottom of the roster.

Here once again are the 53 guys I see on the roster, along with the first five off. That means the five just missing out on a roster spot, as opposed to the first five roster cuts, just to be clear. Here was the last roster projection, a week into training camp. For this updated version, I'm using the strike-through format to show changes from the last projection.

OFFENSE
QB (3): Colin Kaepernick, Colt McCoy, B.J. Daniels Scott Tolzien
RB (3): Frank Gore, Kendall Hunter, LaMichael James
FB (2): Bruce Miller, Anthony Dixon
WR (6): Anquan Boldin, Kyle Williams, A.J. Jenkins, Quinton Patton, Ricardo Lockette Marlon Moore, Kassim Osgood
TE (3): Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald, Garrett Celek
OT (3): Joe Staley, Anthony Davis, Adam Snyder
OG (3): Mike Iupati, Alex Boone, Joe Looney
C (2): Jonathan Goodwin, Daniel Kilgore

DEFENSE
DE (3): Justin Smith, Ray McDonald, Tank Carradine, Demarcus Dobbs
NT (3): Ian Williams, Glenn Dorsey, Will Tukuafu, Quinton Dial
OLB (5): Ahmad Brooks, Aldon Smith, Parys Haralson, Corey Lemonier, Dan Skuta
ILB (4): Patrick Willis, NaVorro Bowman, Michael Wilhoite, Nick Moody
FS (3): Eric Reid, Craig Dahl, Trenton Robinson
SS (2): Donte Whitner, C.J. Spillman
CB (5): Carlos Rogers, Tarell Brown, Nnamdi Asomugha, Perrish Cox, Tramaine Brock

SPECIAL TEAMS
K (1): Phil Dawson
P (1): Andy Lee
LOS (1): Brian Jennings

NFI/PUP: Eric Wright, Cornellius Carradine, Quinton Dial, Marcus Lattimore, Luke Marquardt, Mario Manningham, Michael Crabtree

Last Five On: Adam Snyder, Trenton Robinson, Will Tukuafu, Kassim Osgood, Scott Tolzien

First Five Off: Ricardo Lockette, Jewel Hampton, Cam Johnson, Austin Collie, Marcus Cooper

Right off the bat, I have no idea what to do with Austin Collie. If he remains healthy and gets more work in the preseason, it becomes harder and harder to leave him out. The problem is the numbers game. Boldin, Jenkins, Williams and Patton seem like roster locks. I suppose Jenkins could somehow get cut, but I just can't see it happening. That leaves what I imagine is no more than two spots for some combination of Austin Collie, Marlon Moore, Kassim Osgood, Ricardo Lockette, Chad Hall, Lavelle Hawkins and Chuck Jacobs. Or do the 49ers actually keep seven receivers on the roster?

I removed Tank Carradine and Quinton Dial because the odds seem greater and greater that they will start the season on the NFI list. They would not count against the 53-man limit, but if the 49ers activated one or both, the team would have to release somebody from the 53-man roster.

Other than that, I took the plunge and swapped in Adam Snyder for Kenny Wiggins. I was hesitant to include him, but it seems pretty clear the team is planning on using him as a significant backup on the line. Daniel Kilgore is the primary backup center, but it appears Snyder will basically operate as a utility guy on the line.

Where am I way off?

Keep Reading:

• Training camp practice recap, Day 15
• Today's links
• Austin Collie to get more opportunities Friday
• 49ers updated depth chart
• Tank Carradine, Quinton Dial update