Which 49ers jobs are up for grabs? Here’s what we learned at minicamp

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Kyle Shanahan joked Tuesday that he’d prefer to cancel the 49ers’ second minicamp practice of the week.

When his defensive coordinator Robert Saleh stepped to the podium after Wednesday’s session, it wasn’t hard to see why.

With organized team activities (OTAs) and minicamp complete, Saleh largely shied away from singling out individuals and praising strong performances over the last few weeks. He said that without anyone wearing shoulder pads, it’s too soon to know which younger and inexperienced players might actually contribute with the 49ers this season.

Outside of the 49ers’ core group of star players, the coaches have a pretty firm idea of which players will have opportunities to win starting jobs and secure the final roster spots during training camp in July and August. But neither Shanahan nor Saleh is ready to anoint anyone just yet.

“Once we get pads on and it gets real, and you can get a little bit more physical with the receivers and you can get a little bit more involved, we’ll have a better idea of who’s going to stick and who’s not.”

The 49ers won’t return to the practice field for about six weeks, but when they’re back in Santa Clara, the real competitions begin.

Which spots are up for grabs? And which position groups need more depth? Here’s an early look at where things stand for some key units following minicamp practices.

Christian McCaffrey is the superstar, and second-year back Isaac Guerendo will provide depth, but the 49ers always need a stable of players at a position where staying healthy for 17 games is a tremendous challenge.

Veteran Patrick Taylor Jr. took reps with the first and second units this week, but expect fifth-round draft pick Jordan James and undrafted free agent Corey Kiner to compete for opportunities behind McCaffrey and Guerendo.

“Both our rookie running backs have been awesome,” McCaffrey said Wednesday. “They show up every day, they work hard, they listen, they’re attentive, they practice hard — they’re everything you would want in rookie running backs.”

James has an impressive burst and runs with a low center of gravity but might not be as powerful as Jordan Mason, who was traded to the Vikings this offseason.

Brandon Aiyuk (knee), Ricky Pearsall (hamstring), and Jauan Jennings (calf) weren’t on the field this week, so second-year receiver Jacob Cowing took advantage of opportunities Wednesday. Cowing has added muscle to his frame since January and earned praise from Shanahan Tuesday when he said the University of Arizona product was one of the team’s hardest-working players this offseason.

Demarcus Robinson is a solid free-agent addition, and rookie Jordan Watkins has the speed to become a factor, but the 49ers are clearly thin on depth beyond the group of aforementioned receivers.

It’s possible no position group is more difficult to gauge during OTAs and minicamp than the offensive line, but Austen Pleasants at least has the look of a player capable of filling the swing tackle role vacated by Jaylon Moore, who signed a two-year deal with the Chiefs this offseason.

Pleasants appeared in three games for the 49ers last season and is a huge presence at 6-foot-7 and 330 pounds.

Ben Bartch is probably the front-runner to start at left guard, but Spencer Burford could also push to help replace Aaron Banks, who signed with the Packers in free agency.

With rookies Mykel Williams (hamstring) and Alfred Collins (calf) sitting out 11-on-11 drills this week, it’s difficult to know how Saleh will structure the depth chart up front when training camp begins.

One player who is clearly primed for a significant role? Recent trade acquisition Bryce Huff, the fastest player off the ball at the line of scrimmage the 49ers have had since at least Dee Ford.

“We did watch a lot of Dee Ford film in my earlier years in this scheme,” Huff, who played for Saleh in New York with the Jets, said Wednesday. “He’s definitely a guy I’ve watched a long time. We have the same type of stride, and that’s something he showed me so I could work on that with my timing.”

What makes Huff such a presence up front?

“His disruption rate and getting the quarterback off the spot and the way he can do it now,” Saleh said. “He is a second-effort pass rusher, but he wins so quickly so often that coordinators have to account for his presence.”

Huff’s arrival should take some pressure off Williams, who will be asked to play both inside and outside along the defensive front as a rookie.

Evan Anderson, Sam Okuayinonu, Kevin Givens, Jordan Elliott, and rookie CJ West were all part of the defensive line rotation during minicamp.

One of the most important camp competitions will come at linebacker, as jobs alongside Fred Warner will be up for grabs. After losing Dre Greenlaw in free agency, third-round draft pick Nick Martin will have a chance to step in and impress during training camp.

But Martin could have a difficult time beating out 2023 sixth-round draft pick Dee Winters, who has caught Saleh’s attention.

“It’s easy when it’s OTAs and you’re not having to deal with run-pass reads and everything is a little bit slower,” Saleh said. “But [Winters has] got something to him. I don’t want to jinx him, but if he stays on this trajectory and attacks these next 40 days, he’s due for a heck of a season.”

Tatum Bethune, a seventh-round pick in 2024, and free-agent signee Chazz Surratt will also be in the mix as the 49ers use three linebackers on the field in their base personnel package.

But this group isn’t nearly as talented as Saleh’s 2019 unit that featured Warner, Greenlaw, and current Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. Without an outside addition or an unexpected breakout season from someone in-house, the 49ers may be better when their nickel package is on the field.

Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green are essentially locked in as starters at outside corner, although potential depth issues at nickel could compel the 49ers to eventually move Lenoir back inside.

For now, the 49ers are testing former Seahawks defensive back Tre Brown and rookie Upton Stout at nickel. At 5-foot-8, Stout is obviously undersize compared to teammates in the secondary, but he kept up with receivers Tuesday and Wednesday, and the 49ers’ front office fell in love with him in large part due to his tenacity.

“I’m like another linebacker, and you don’t want to be too small in the box,” Stout said after the draft.

If Stout locks down the job, Brown could be the first corner off the sideline when the 49ers need help at nickel or on the outside.

Neither Malik Mustapha (knee) nor Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle) took the field during OTAs or minicamp, which left free-agent additions Richie Grant and Jason Pinnock as the safeties.

Mustapha provided immediate value to the 49ers as a rookie and should return to his starting post at strong safety when healthy. Brown, who has alternated between both positions over the last two seasons, might have a harder time seeing the field, as Saleh clearly trusts Pinnock.

Saleh’s Jets drafted the University of Pittsburgh defensive back as a corner in 2021 before asking him to transition to safety entering the 2022 season. Pinnock was part of the team’s final roster cuts and eventually signed with the Giants, where he started 32 games over the last two seasons.

“Credit to some of the guys with the Jets that are still there that beat him out the second year,” Saleh said. “But I’ve always been a fan of his athleticism, his length, and his football IQ.”

A day after third-year kicker Jake Moody unveiled a new technique, veteran Greg Joseph made each of his field goal attempts during the special teams portion of the 49ers’ practice.

This is a competition that will go down to the wire, and it’s unlikely the 49ers will factor kicks from minicamp into a decision that will be made in late August or early September.