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The San Francisco 49ers continue to find their roster stuck in a strange space between Super Bowl contender and rebuilding team.
Their stars are largely reaching the end of their primes and putting together a list of future stars for San Francisco is nigh impossible. With that, a handful of players will enter this year's training camp in a make-or-break situation. That group of players is in a place with the 49ers where a big year could set them on course to be part of the team's future, while a bad year could put their future with the club in jeopardy.
Here are six players on the 49ers' roster staring a make-or-break 2026 in the face as training camp begins:
WR Ricky Pearsall
There's an argument to be made that Pearsall has flashed enough talent to avoid the 'make or break' microscope. However, his health has been a big enough problem that his long-term place atop the 49ers WR depth chart will certainly be in jeopardy if he can't avoid a long-term injury absence this season. It'll start in training camp where he's had injury problems in his first two years, but it'll carry over to the regular season where the ability to produce across 15-plus games instead of the 10 he's averaged in his first two seasons could be the difference between being a long-term piece for the 49ers and not.
RB Jordan James
James is in a strange subgroup on this list. He didn't get a real opportunity in his rookie season, but the addition of third-round pick Kaelon Black immediately puts James in the spotlight. It looked before the draft like he'd cruise to the RB2 spot. Now he's in danger of falling behind Black and then losing out on an active gameday spot to a better special teams player. Once a player falls in that hole on San Francisco's roster it's exceedingly hard to climb out.
DL Alfred Collins
Last season was all about development for Collins who had some work to do before becoming a productive NFL player. He took definite strides as the season progressed, but there was no real breakout moment for the 2025 second-round pick. This year will be a big one where Collins either establishes himself as a starter on the interior of the 49ers' defensive line or becomes a piece they're looking to replace next offseason. More flashes this year would be nice, but San Francisco needs Collins to be a consistently dominant defensive tackle if he's going to be a long-term piece for them.
SS Malik Mustapha
It looks like we can pencil in Mustapha for one of the starting safety spots, but his ability to carve out a place in the 49ers' long-term plans is likely riding on his third year. His first two seasons had moments where he jumps off the screen with his ability to get downhill and hit. There's a world where he's a legitimate force on a revamped 49ers defense. However, he needs to improve in coverage and clean up some of his issues with missed tackles. Getting to play behind a better version of the 49ers' front seven should put him in prime position to improve in both areas. If he can't, there may be a new starter at his position as soon as next season.
FS Ji'Ayir Brown
The make-or-break year might've already happened for Brown. San Francisco needed him to make a leap last season and he turned in another just so-so year. It's hard to imagine a breakout coming for the 26-year-old in his fourth season, and his hopes of securing a second contract with San Francisco are likely dashed at this point. Even if his long-term fate in the Bay Area is already set, his short-term fate is still up in the air. If Brown doesn't win the starting free safety job in camp it may spell the end of his time on the 49ers' roster.
WR Jacob Cowing
Cowing is going into Year 3 with a steep uphill climb in front of him. There's a logjam at the back of the 49ers' WR depth chart and the 49ers added three players there just this offseason after drafting Jordan Watkins in 2025. That's bad news on paper for Cowing. He can still climb onto the back of the roster if he proves to be an asset in the kick and punt return games, but to prove that he'll need to stay healthy throughout the preseason. If he doesn't the 2024 fourth-round pick could be in search of a new home come cutdown day on August 30.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 6 49ers facing make-or-break seasons entering training camp
