49ers 53-man roster: Every transaction that led from Week 17, 2014 to Week 1, 2015

The San Francisco 49ers settled their 53-man roster for the time being over the week, and now it is time to get ready for the Minnesota Vikings. We could very well see roster changes between now and next Monday, and we are certain to see roster changes as the season moves along. But for now, we have a roster to work with in preparation for Week 1.

I thought it would be fun to look at how this roster came into being. We know all about the 49ers significant roster turnover. They lost some major names, and are going considerably younger at several positions. With that in mind, I wanted to look at the 49ers Week 17 roster, then run through the numerous arrivals and departures, and see how we got to the current roster.

Each transaction links back to a major article or story stream connected to the transaction. They are listed pretty close to chronological order.

Week 17, 2014 roster

QB: Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert, Josh Johnson
RB: Frank Gore, Carlos Hyde, Alfonso Smith, Phillip Tanner
FB: Bruce Miller
WR: Anquan Boldin, Michael Crabtree, Stevie Johnson, Brandon Lloyd, Quinton Patton, Bruce Ellington, Trindon Holliday
TE: Vernon Davis, Asante Cleveland
OL: Joe Staley, Mike Iupati, Marcus Martin, Joe Looney, Anthony Davis, Jonathan Martin, Dillon Farrell, Andrew Tiller

DL: Justin Smith, Quinton Dial, Tony Jerod-Eddie, Tank Carradine, Mike Purcell
OLB: Aldon Smith, Ahmad Brooks, Aaron Lynch, Dan Skuta, Corey Lemonier, Chase Thomer
ILB: Michael Wilhoite, Nick Moody, Desmond Bishop
CB: Chris Culliver, Perrish Cox, Tramaine Brock, Dontae Johnson, Marcus Cromartie, Leon McFadden, Cameron Fuller
FS: Eric Reid, L.J. McCray
SS: Antoine Bethea, Craig Dahl

K: Phil Dawson
P: Andy Lee
LS: Kyle Nelson

PUP: DT Kaleb Ramsey
NFI: FB Trey Millard, CB Keith Reaser, OG Brandon Thomas
IR: CB Kenneth Acker, G Alex Boone, LB Chris Borland, LB NaVorro Bowman, TE Derek Carrier, TE Garrett Celek, CB Chris Cook, NT Glenn Dorsey, G Fouimalo Fonoti, RB Kendall Hunter, WR Chuck Jacobs, C Daniel Kilgore, TE Vance McDonald, WR Kassim Osgood, S Bubba Ventrone, DB Jimmie Ward, NT Ian Williams, LB Patrick Willis

If you really want to re-live the Jim Harbaugh nonsense and the head coaching search, you're more than welcome to go back through the NN archive. I figured with this we can just focus on the roster changes. Free agency, trades and the draft made this a fascinating offseason. It was ugly at times, but intriguing nonetheless.

Reserve/Future contracts

The first transaction after the season ends is usually reserve/future contracts. Players can sign this kind of contract when they were not on a 53-man roster at the end of the season. That includes free agents and practice squad players. The 49ers signed seven players to these contracts, and as you can see, they resulted in one player on the 53-man roster, and two on their practice squad.

Reserve/future contracts: RB Kendall Gaskins, TE Xavier Grimble, WR Lance Lewis, T Chris Martin, NT Garrison Smith (12/30/14)
Reserve/future contract: DL Lawrence Okoye (1/3/15)
Reserve/future contract: LB Shayne Skov (1/9)

Pre-free agency

RB/Returner Jarryd Hayne signs 3-year deal (3/3)
S Raymond Ventrone joins New England Patriots coaching staff (3/3)
DT Darnell Dockett signs 2-year deal (3/5)
WR Jerome Simpson re-signs w/2-year deal (3/5)
LB Aldon Smith restructures contract (3/5)
LS Kyle Nelson signs 4-year extension, TE Garrett Celek signs 1-year deal (3/6)
LB Michael Wilhoite, DT Tony Jerod-Eddie tendered as ERFAs (3/6)
TE Derek Carrier signs 2-year extension (3/9)
S Craig Dahl restructures contract (3/9)
LB Patrick Willis retires (3/9)

Free Agency

OG Mike Iupati signs with Arizona Cardinals (3/10)
WR Torrey Smith signs 5-year deal (3/10)
QB Blaine Gabbert signs 2-year deal (3/10)
RB Frank Gore sign with Indianapolis Colts (3/10)
OLB Dan Skuta signs with Jacksonville Jaguars (3/11)
WR Stevie Johnson waived released (3/11)
CB Chris Culliver signs with Washington (3/13)
CB Perrish Cox signs with Tennessee Titans (3/14)
CB Shareece Wright signs 1-year deal, CB Chris Cook signs 1-year deal (3/14)
OL Erik Pears signs 2-year deal (3/14)
RB Reggie Bush signs 1-year deal (3/14)
LB Chris Borland retires (3/16)
OT Jonathan Martin waived (3/26)
CB Cameron Fuller waived (3/27)
LB Desmond Bishop re-signs w/1-year deal (3/31)

Post-March free agency

QB Josh Johnson signs with Cincinnati Bengals (4/2)
LB Nick Bellore signs 2-year deal (4/3)
OT Joe Staley makes contract adjustment (4/6)
DT Tony Jerod-Eddie signs ERFA tender (4/7)
WR Michael Crabtree signs with Oakland Raiders (4/13)
LB Phillip Wheeler signs 1-year deal, KR/WR Trindon Holliday released, OL Fou Fonoti, WR Lance Lewis waived (4/30)

2015 NFL Draft additions

1 (17). Arik Armstead, DL, Oregon
2 (14). Jaquiski Tartt, S, Samford
3 (15). Eli Harold, OLB, Virginia
4 (18). Blake Bell, TE, Oklahoma
4 (27). Mike Davis, RB, South Carolina
4 (33). DeAndre Smelter, WR, Georgia Tech
5 (29). Bradley Pinion, P, Clemson
6 (14). Ian Silberman, OL, Boston College
7 (27). Trenton Brown, OL, Florida
7 (37). Rory Anderson, TE, South Carolina

2015 UDFA additions

DB Mylan Hicks, Michigan State
QB Dylan Thompson, South Carolina
WR Dres Anderson, Utah
WR Issac Blakeney, Duke
WR DiAndre Campbell, Washington
WR Darius Davis, Henderson State
WR DeAndrew White, Alabama
OL Patrick Miller, Auburn
OLB/DE Marcus Rush, Michigan State
S Jermaine Whitehead, Auburn
K Corey Acosta, Southern Mississippi
WR Mario Hull, Rice

Post-Draft

ILB Chris Borland placed on reserve/retired, LB Chase Thomas waived/injured (5/4)
DT Justin Smith retires (5/18)
OL Justin Renfrow signs 2-year deal (5/18)
OT Anthony Davis retires (6/5)
P Andy Lee traded to Cleveland Browns for conditional 2017 seventh round pick (6/6)
OL Sean Hooey from New York Jets (6/12)
OL Chris Martin released (6/15)
OL Ben Gottschalk signs 2-year deal, waived WR Darius Davis (6/15)

Training camp

CB Chris Cook released (8/5)
WR Nigel King signs 2-year deal (8/5)
OL Ben Gottschalk waived/injured (8/6)
ILB Steve Beauharnais signs 1-year deal (8/7)
OLB Aldon Smith released (8/7)
Shawn Lemon signs 2-year deal (8/8)
TE Asante Cleveland traded to New England Patriots for Jordan Devey (8/18)
TE Derek Carrier traded to Washington for 2017 5th round pick (8/21)
Nick Easton acquired from Ravens for conditional 7th round pick (9/5)

Roster Cuts

Cuts to reach 75: K Corey Acosta, LB Steve Beauharnais, CB Mylan Hicks, OT Sean Hooey, WR Mario Hull, WR Chuck Jacobs, WR Nigel King, LB Shawn Lemon, FB Trey Millard, DL Lawrence Okoye; C Daniel Kilgore to PUP, WR DeAndre Smelter to NFI, WR Dres Anderson, LB Desmond Bishop to IR

Desmond Bishop released from IR with injury settlement (9/6)

Friday cuts: WR Issac Blakeney, S Craig Dahl, DT Darnell Dockett, OL Joe Looney, OL Patrick Miller, LB Philip Wheeler

Final cuts: WR DiAndre Campbell, CB Marcus Cromartie, G/C Dillon Farrell, RB Kendall Gaskins, TE Xavier Grimble, CB Leon McFadden, LB Nick Moody, DT Kaleb Ramsey, OL Justin Renfrow, DL Marcus Rush, NT Garrison Smith, QB Dylan Thompson, G Andrew Tiller, S Jermaine Whitehead; RB Kendall Hunter/TE Busta Anderson placed on IR, Jerome Simpson placed on Reserve/Suspended list

Week 1, 2015 roster

And with that, you have the current roster. I think I covered every transaction above, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

QB: Colin Kaepernick, Blaine Gabbert
RB: Carlos Hyde, Reggie Bush, Mike Davis, Jarryd Hayne
FB: Bruce Miller
TE: Vernon Davis, Vance McDonald, Garrett Celek, Blake Bell
WR: Anquan Boldin, Torrey Smith, Quinton Patton, Bruce Ellington, DeAndrew White
OL: Joe Staley, Alex Boone, Marcus Martin, Jordan Devey, Ian Silberman, Nick Easton, Brandon Thomas, Erik Pears, Trent Brown

DL: Glenn Dorsey, Ian Williams, Quinton Dial, Tank Carradine, Mike Purcell, Tony Jerod-Eddie, Arik Armstead 
OLB: Ahmad Brooks, Aaron Lynch, Corey Lemonier, Eli Harold
ILB: NaVorro Bowman, Shayne Skov, Nick Bellore, Michael Wilhoite
CB: Tramaine Brock, Dontae Johnson, Keith Reaser, Kenneth Acker, Shareece Wright
FS: Eric Reid, Jimmie Ward, Jaquiski Tartt
SS: Antoine Bethea, L.J. McCray

P: Bradley Pinion
K: Phil Dawson
LS: Kyle Nelson

Reserve/PUP: C Daniel Kilgore
Reserve/NFI: WR DeAndre Smelter
Reserve/Suspended: Jerome Simpson
IR: WR Dres Anderson, TE Busta Anderson, RB Kendall Hunter