49ers Begin Offseason OTAs with Open Roster Spots
The San Francisco 49ers will hit the field for the first time in the 2026 offseason during OTAs.
The 49ers have completed most of their offseason transactions, and with training camp approaching, these practices will shape expectations for the team's outlook.
The team has many positions open for competition, and these practices will provide insight into its plan to fill these gaps.
Defensive tackle
The 49ers have depth at defensive tackle after trading for Osa Odighizuwa and making positive draft selections with Alfred Collins, C.J. West and Gracen Halton. The team will need to find a starter next to Odighizuwa. West and Collins stood out during their rookie season, but both will need to show growth in different ways. Collins is a strong run defender who needs to improve his pass-rush skills, and West is a good pass rusher who needs to improve as a run defender.
Edge rusher
Nick Bosa will return to the team, giving the pass rush a much-needed boost after struggling last season. Bosa should not be the only player producing as a pass rusher. The 49ers will need to find complementary pieces. Third-round pick Romello Height will need to show a glimmer of potential in OTAs. With 2025 first-round pick Mykel Williams continuing to rehab from a torn ACL, veteran pass rushers Cameron Sample and Keion White will need to be serviceable depth pieces.
Safeties
The 49ers have lacked depth at safety for a couple of years, and this season looks to be the same unless recent draft picks emerge. One of them is Ji'Ayir Brown, who is in a contract year and has shown his potential at different points in his tenure but has also struggled at times. At free safety, the team will likely play Malik Mustapha, who is coming off his first full offseason since tearing his ACL in the 2024 season. Mustapha was serviceable when he returned in the 2025 season. Second-year player Marques Sigle seemed to be in the right place at the right time during his limited snaps last season, but he continuously gave up big plays. Behind these three safeties, the team lacks depth. The trio must show growth during OTAs.
Wide receiver
Mike Evans and Ricky Pearsall will be the team's top two wide receivers if healthy. There will be competition for the third wide receiver spot. In a perfect world, first-round pick De'Zhuan Stribling would take that role. Still, with the 49ers' history, he will need to prove himself in practice, similarly to how second-year Jordan Watkins will need to put together another good offseason to see the field in 2026. The franchise also has proven veterans in Demarcus Robinson and Christian Kirk, who will likely play ahead of the young players. In the return game, Jacob Cowing and Junior Bergen will compete for the team's return specialist opening.
Left guard
After losing former starting left guard Spencer Burford, the 49ers will have an all-out competition at left guard. The team will choose between Robert Jones, Conner Colby or Nick Zakelj. Expect Colby and Zakelj to get the first opportunities, as Jones is coming off a neck injury that sidelined him for the entire season. Colby played in 13 games for the team last season, needing to improve in pass protection.
Running back
Christian McCaffrey will lead the 49ers' running back room, but coming off a season in which he had 413 touches, his workload will need to be minimized. Recent draft picks Jordan James and rookie Kaelon Black will be in the mix for those touches. James played in three games last season, showing his potential in garbage time of the team's divisional-round loss, with 28 rushing yards on six carries. Black was a controversial third-round pick, but he looks like a player who should have an immediate impact.
Punter
The team signed Corliss Waitman, who was the Pittsburgh Steelers' starter the last two seasons. It will not be a foregone conclusion that Waitman will be the starter, as the team signed undrafted free agent Jack Bouwmeester. Waitman will have to beat out Bouwmeester to secure the role. Bouwmeester was a four-year starter at the Power Five level.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/49ers/onsi as 49ers Begin Offseason OTAs with Open Roster Spots .
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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 8:00 AM.