The San Francisco 49ers will have some tough decisions to make at the end of training camp when it comes to their offensive skill positions.
The draft picks of Isaac Guerendo, Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing have rearranged the depth charts at running back and wide receiver.
The free agent signing of Logan Thomas to be George Kittle's backup at tight end also put one of the team's younger players at risk of never making an impact in the regular season.
A lot of the 49ers' offensive depth is dependent on the Brandon Aiyuk situation. Aiyuk reportedly demanded a trade, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, but whether that actually happens remains to be seen.
Jordan Mason
Jordan Mason has been a solid No. 3 in the San Francisco running back rotation since Christian McCaffrey arrived.
Mason's position on the depth chart is under threat now, though, after the draft selection of Isaac Guerendo.
The rookie out of Louisville will push for the No. 3 spot behind McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell in training camp.
A strong performance from Guerendo in August could make Mason surplus at running back regardless of what he does in preseason.
Guerendo could always experience a tough transition process to the NFL, and if that is the case, Mason has to be there to pounce.
If anything, a strong preseason can at least put Mason on the radars of other teams who may need running back help.
Cameron Latu
The writing already seems to be on the wall for Cameron Latu's time with the 49ers.
The 49ers inked Logan Thomas to a deal in the offseason, and if the former Washington tight end thrives, he will be George Kittle's backup.
Thomas carries an injury history with him, though, so he is not guaranteed to make it through the entire season.
But Thomas is currently the better option, when healthy, for the 49ers to run with as the backup tight end.
Latu dealt with injuries of his own in 2023 after he was drafted out of Alabama. The 49ers likely are not keeping three tight ends around for the start of the regular season, so he may lose out on a roster spot to Thomas.
Chris Conley
The 49ers' wide receiver situation is very fluid at the moment.
Aiyuk is still a member of the 49ers, but the trade speculation will only increase with the report of an actual trade request being submitted.
Ricky Pearsall was put on the non-football injury list on Tuesday to make matters a bit more difficult for the 49ers. No specifics were released on that injury as of Wednesday morning.
The entire wide receiver situation could benefit Chris Conley, who could be fighting for the final wide receiver spot if everyone is available.
The 49ers have Deebo Samuel, Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Pearsall, Cowing and Ronnie Bell as a strong six-man group.
Conley path to the 53-man roster includes a strong preseason and a little bit of bad luck from involving the players in front of him on the depth chart.
-1729213915-q80.webp "Lions’ Aidan Hutchinson Returns and Is Attempting to ‘Process Everything’")