Identifying Three Surprise Cut/Trade Candidates for the 49ers

Three big-name players could be on the outs.

#1 Running Back, Tevin Coleman.

Tevin Coleman signed a two-year, $8.5 million dollar contract with the 49ers in the 2019 offseason. Coleman had a solid first season with the team -- he played in 17 of 19 games, starting in the vast majority of them.

In those 17 games, Coleman rushed 170 times for 698 yards (4.1 yards per carry) and 8 touchdowns. Coleman also caught 24 passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.

There is no doubt that Coleman is a productive NFL running back, so why is he a cut candidate? Here is why:

Even with the departure of Matt Breida (traded to Miami), the 49ers still have an extremely full running back room.

Raheem Mostert was the star of the show during the 49ers’ Super Bowl run, and has earned himself a larger role in 2020.

Jeff Wilson Jr. had a strong 2019 season and, like Mostert, will have a larger role this upcoming season. John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan are very high on Wilson Jr, and he comes with a cheap price tag.

Jerick McKinnon is the ultimate wildcard in this group. McKinnon is supposedly healthy and ready to compete for a roster spot. The 49ers signed McKinnon to a large contract in the 2018 offseason, and he has yet to play a regular season snap.

If McKinnon is indeed healthy, he brings tremendous value as a pass catcher out of the backfield. When last healthy in 2017, McKinnon caught more than 50 passes for over 400 yards with the Vikings. That is significantly higher production than what Coleman produced last season as a pass catcher.

The 49ers also signed undrafted rookies Salvon Ahmed and JaMycal Hasty. Both Ahmed and Hasty bring something no other 49ers running back brings to the table, a contract that goes into the 2022 season. Coleman, McKinnon, and Wilson JR. (RFA), are all entering the last season of their contracts. Mostert is under contract until 2021. 

With the success the 49ers have had identifying undrafted free agents, I believe that Ahmed or Hasty will make the final roster.

A realistic scenario for the 49ers in 2020 is:

• Mostert: the featured back
• McKinnon: the 3rd down and pass catching back
• Wilson Jr: the rotational and goal-line back
• Ahmed or Hasty: In the limited role that Wilson Jr. served last year. 

Where does that leave Coleman? Either traded or cut.

#2 Wide Receiver, Trent Taylor

Trent Taylor had an extremely unfortunate 2019 season. Taylor was the star of training camp, but suffered a foot injury that later got infected and missed the entire 2019 season.

When healthy, Taylor brings value as a slot receiver. Between 2017 and 2018, Taylor caught 69 passes for 645 yards and three touchdowns.

Slot receivers must make tough catches all over the field and keep the chains moving. The 49ers have that player in Kendrick Bourne, although he has a completely different playing style.

The 49ers’ receiver room is even more loaded than the running back room. This does not bode well for Taylor, who is entering the final season of his contract.

Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and Kendrick Bourne are all roster locks. The team invested high-draft capital in Dante Pettis and Jalen Hurd. It is looking more and more likely that Pettis will get a second chance to prove himself worthy of his 2nd round draft status.

Hurd has never played a regular season snap, but with the buzz he created throughout training camp and preseason he will for sure get a chance to prove what he can do in the regular season so long as he's healthy.

The sixth and final wide receiver spot will most likely be awarded to Travis Benjamin, JaJuan Jennings, Richie James Jr., Chris Finke, or Taylor.

Benjamin brings speed and is a vertical threat down the field.

Jennings is a physical receiver with size, and is tough to bring down when the ball is in his hands. A skill that Shanahan covets.

James Jr. has displayed big ability despite playing an extremely low percentage of snaps. However, if Aiyuk takes over his return job then there is very little hope for him to make the team. 

Finke is built very similarly to Taylor and, if the 49ers want that sort of short and quick slot receiver, the final spot will come down to Taylor or Finke. Finke has a legit shot to beat Taylor out for the spot.

Don’t be surprised if a fully healthy Taylor does not make the final 53-man roster.

#3 Cornerback, Ahekllo Witherspoon

The 49ers are thin at outside cornerback, which makes it difficult to see them moving on from Witherspoon. However, it's a realistic possibility.

We’ve seen good, bad, and ugly from Witherspoon throughout his first three seasons in the league. He played well to begin the 2019 season starting opposite of Sherman, but Witherspoon injured his foot Week 3, and this injury derailed his promising season. Though he only missed weeks 5 through 11, Witherspoon most certainly did not pick up where he left off.

Emmanuel Mosley out performed Witherspoon, and Mosley was the corner starting opposite of Sherman during the team’s biggest moments.

Lynch has already challenged Witherspoon this offseason, saying he needs to show up ready to compete at a recent press conference. Lynch also left Witherspoon off the list of cornerbacks he’s excited for, and added Tim Harris to the list. Harris was a 6th round pick in 2018.

Witherspoon will still have the opportunity to compete for a starting spot, but his chances of winning that spot seem unlikely.

Sherman is a lock and Mosley seems like a lock to solidify the outside corner spots. K'Waun Williams is a lock in the slot. The team is very high on Harris, who is long and lanky just like Witherspoon.

Teez Tabor was a 2nd round pick in 2017 with the Detroit Lions, and spent last season on the practice squad. Tabor is a player to watch throughout camp and the pre-season.

The team also has Dontae Johnson, Jason Verrett, and undrafted rookie DeMarkus Acy competing for roster spots.

If Harris, Tabor, and or Acy look like capable outside NFL cornerbacks, Witherspoon could very well be on his way out. 

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