The 49ers continued clearing out excess defensive linemen, including Alex Barrett, meaning the rookies are poised to take over.
This week, the San Francisco 49ers executed an under-the-radar roster transaction that'll likely go unnoticed by the bulk of the fanbase.
To make room for veteran kicker Greg Joseph, an offseason competition piece for the embattled Jake Moody, the Niners parted ways with one of their longer-tenured players, defensive lineman Alex Barrett.
Barrett had been with San Francisco in one capacity or another since 2019, usually on the practice squad and occasionally bouncing onto the 53-man roster when needed in the years since.
But, as part of the 49ers' newfound efforts to fully revamp their defensive line this offseason, he was no longer seen as a necessary depth piece. Not even to round out the 90-man offseason roster heading toward training camp.
Rookie D-linemen, take notice.
49ers put full faith in 1st-year D-linemen by waiving Alex Barrett
The Niners already cleared spots on their defensive line earlier this offseason by releasing Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, fellow defensive lineman Maliek Collins and edge rusher Leonard Floyd, all part of an effort to get both younger and cheaper.
In response, San Francisco used its first-round NFL Draft pick on Georgia defensive end Mykel Williams, effectively replacing Floyd, before grabbing two more interior linemen in subsequent rounds, Texas' Alfred Collins and Indiana's C.J. West, who'll fill the voids left by Hargrave and Collins.
Parting ways with Barrett, who was a long shot to make the 53-man roster anyway, is just another indication of the 49ers putting full faith in their rookie linemen, especially on the edge with Williams and after waiving another underwhelming defender, Drake Jackson.
The Niners are essentially letting their rookie defensive linemen know they have a leg up on the competition by getting rid of yet more veterans who, at the very least, could have been competition pieces during camp.
It's a bold statement, one those first-year pros probably appreciate but will also need to capitalize on.
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