“They talk about it being the ‘final 53,’ but never in the history of football has the final 53 been the final 53,” Kyle Shanahan had once said. His words must hit home for the San Francisco 49ers, especially this season. Injuries, departures, and contract issues have created a chaotic roster situation for the team. The team’s receiving corps, in particular, is a work in progress. Deebo Samuel was traded to Washington. Brandon Aiyuk remains on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list after ACL and MCL tears. Rookie Ricky Pearsall is also recovering from a hamstring injury. Chris Conley’s retirement further leaves a gap, even if it was a smaller role. As a result, the battle for roster spots this year is fiercer than ever.
This season’s training camp then presents an unusual level of opportunity for the players on the 49ers’ roster. The 49ers Cutback podcast host Anthony Robertson described the shift last month as he said, “There has been some years you went into training camp and there wasn’t really that many positions available or up for grabs, you know. You’re talking 10-11 at times because the 49ers roster was so solid with depth. This year there’s been a lot of changeover.” Yes, the changeover! So, what’s next? Well, “now you’ve got a land of opportunity when you’re talking about the end of this roster, especially. But you’ve got some key positions as well where you’re looking for a starter and so the 49ers have a unique opportunity here where competition is going to be supreme during training camp.” Now, Shanahan has just come out to confirm this outlook.
Training camp is officially underway for the San Francisco 49ers. The team is now looking to recapture the high energy that defined their OTAs. Although some time has passed, head coach Kyle Shanahan believes they can pick up right where they left off, starting with setting the tone on Day 1. Therefore, on the eve of the first practice, Shanahan and general manager John Lynch addressed the media for 21 minutes to outline their expectations for camp. As the team’s leader, Shanahan emphasized a straightforward message: strive to be your best. The head coach elaborated on what this goal means for his players as he said, “It’s all about putting in the work and improving each day. These guys have put in the work, whether they’ve been with us or away.” But he did not just stop there. His next comments were meant to strike a deeper chord within his players. Signaling just how intense this camp will be.
Shanahan said the 49ers have more 53-man roster spots up for grabs this season than they’ve had at any point since 2018
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) July 22, 2025
Kyle Shanahan went on to suggest that the 49ers’ roster gymnastics will be something to watch out for this season, as he said, “They’ve given themselves a chance to come in here and really grind. We’re going to do that over the next five weeks before finalizing the team. We probably have as many open spots on the 53-man roster and practice squad as we’ve had since 2018.” Back in 2018, the 49ers had made some important growth in several areas under coach Shanahan. But they still had plenty of holes to fill in the roster, and that’s the same situation with the team’s roster this year. Therefore, Shahanan concluded, “Everyone needs to stay focused on that. Be your best every day, and we’ll see how that shapes the team as a whole.” Shanahan’s message is clear: jobs are on the line.
It’s high time for the players to level up their game. If players want to secure a starting role for the 49ers, they’ll need to compete at their highest level. The veterans in the locker room are expected to carry that mindset and reinforce it throughout camp. With that approach, the team will hope to re-establish the strong chemistry they had last year. However, at the deep end of the offseason now, there’s not a lot to work with as their WR room remains filled with uncertainty. Therefore, Shanahan had to make a bold move in search of that additional depth to the roster.
Kyle Shanahan’s most recent addition to the 49ers roster
The 49ers were heading into training camps with more question marks at wide receiver than they’ve had in years. On the 49ers Cutback podcast, host Anthony Robertson broke down one of the team’s major concerns before the camps start, as he said, “We know that Brandon Aiyuk is going to be a lock to make this team. However, he’s not going to account against the 53-man roster initially.” Robertson further added that Aiyuk still has a long road ahead before he’s ready to compete. This means that Aiyuk will join the camp late, which creates an early roster opening. Seeing that gap, to an already complicated roster carousel, Shanahan decided to add yet another player.
The 49ers front office just signed Equanimeous St. Brown before the first training camp. The veteran wide receiver had already spent time with multiple teams. He has a career total of 63 catches for 928 yards and 2 touchdowns, and played two games with the Saints last year. Hence, his experience gives the 49ers a steady presence. Meanwhile, Aiyuk and Pearsall have to work their way back.
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy 13 and head coach Kyle Shanahan watch from the sideline during the third quarter of Super Bowl LVIII against the Kansas City Chiefs at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday, February 11, 2024. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxHUNxONLY SBP20240211172 JohnxAngelillo
GM John Lynch sounded optimistic about Brandon Aiyuk’s progress when addressing the media after the first training camp. But Lynch did not offer a firm return timeline. “He did a lot to his knee,” Lynch said. “We’re encouraged about where he’s at, but we’re not anywhere close to having a set-in-stone return date.” Meanwhile, Ricky Pearsall is making a good recovery. “He’s good now, but we’re not going to rush a wideout out there in the first few days”, said Kyle Shanahan. Reports suggest that Pearsall has hit top speeds in recent rehab sessions. So, he might return as early as the end of this week. But it all depends on his conditioning. Some positive news for the 49ers, finally!
On that note, another good news just walked into the team’s first training camp. Their star WR Jauan Jennings just reported to the 49ers camp on time. He had skipped the mandatory minicamp earlier in the offseason due to a calf injury. However, reports had suggested that it was a hold-in strategy as he was seeking a new deal. Possibly even a trade! When asked about Jennings’ situation, Lynch kept things vague, saying only, “We love him and he’s here.” Jennings’ value is hard to overlook. The WR will be coming off a career-best season with 77 receptions for 975 yards and 6 touchdowns. Quarterback Brock Purdy made it clear that he wants Jennings back in action.“I obviously love JJ and what he brings to our team…I hope everything gets handled but would love my guy to be out there on the field with me”, said Purdy.
Meanwhile, off-field matters complicated things further for the team’s WR room. The 49ers’ veteran WR Demarcus Robinson has been facing possible league discipline after pleading no contest to a DUI charge earlier this month. While the 49ers had been aware of the possibility, GM Lynch stated that they would let the situation play out. All these uncertainties have put the 49ers in a position where roster depth matters more than ever. Therefore, the signing of St. Brown was a calculated move from Kyle Shanahan as training camps kick off.
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