49ers roster cuts start to reshape the depth chart, with question marks at tackle and center

The San Francisco 49ers’ preseason roster cuts are beginning to set the tone for their final depth chart decisions, and the biggest driver in that process is health. A Saturday preview of the team’s roster projection frames injuries as a cloud over several position groups, specifically the offensive line, linebacker, and cornerback, which increases the odds that “best available” versatility will matter as much as pure role fit.

Within the offensive-line picture, one reported pivot is how the 49ers plan around potential early-season availability. The analysis presented in the report includes the idea that a key lineman, Lowe, could start the season on injured reserve. If that comes to pass, it would not just open a roster spot, it would also influence how remaining linemen are expected to cover gaps, especially along the tackle depth.

The same preview describes Pleasants as a player who could be moved into a swing-tackle role if Lowe is placed on injured reserve. That matters because swing tackle assignments often become the practical bridge between a team’s top starters and its third-option line depth. In other words, even if the 49ers keep more bodies than usual in the meeting room, the player who can slide into multiple jobs usually determines whether the team carries a more specialized roster construction or leans toward versatility.

Center depth is another focus of the roster-cut conversation. The report raises concern about Toth’s lingering concussion symptoms, describing it as a developmental and availability question at backup center. It also ties that concern to logistics, noting Toth’s situation includes timing around travel to Australia. The implication is straightforward for roster management: when a backup center’s readiness is uncertain, the team may need to carry an additional option or prepare a short-term elevation plan.

The report connects those planning issues to the team’s early-season opponent picture, referencing the Week 1 scenario against the Rams. It describes a contingency if Toth cannot play either because of his condition or because he cannot make the 16-hour plane trip described in the preview. In that circumstance, the 49ers would reportedly have to consider having another player, Nugent or Kramer, in uniform for the season opener.

That same contingency could also affect practice-squad strategy. The report suggests one possible path for Nugent, indicating he could land on the practice squad with the expectation of being elevated against the Rams if needed. This is the kind of roster decision that often looks invisible on game day, but it can be decisive in the weeks leading up to kickoff, particularly when health questions involve a position where the snap is non-negotiable and timing matters.

What to watch next is how the 49ers balance role stability against the flexibility created by roster cuts. If the injury-driven assumptions described in the preview hold, the team’s final active roster may look less like a straight projection and more like a set of matchup-ready chess pieces, with swing tackle coverage and a reliable backup center as the central themes heading into the regular season.