There were relatively few bright spots for the San Francisco 49ers' front seven over the course of 2024, which led to a porously poor run defense and relatively ineffective pass rush outside of defensive ends Nick Bosa and now-Atlanta Falcons edge Leonard Floyd.
However, then-rookie defensive tackle Evan Anderson made a notable name for himself despite the rest of the defensive line's misgivings and shortcomings.
The undrafted free agent out of Florida Atlantic managed to appear in 12 games his rookie season, notching both a forced fumble and a recovery while tallying a sack and 24 total tackles. As a result, the 6-foot-3 and 326-pound interior defender seemed to be a shoo-in for future work as part of the D-line rotation in 2025.
That was until the Niners tore everything down up front and rebuilt it anew.
Granted, Anderson wasn't part of those offseason roster cuts, which included bidding farewell to an established veteran like Maliek Collins. However, in the wake of San Francisco adding two more interior linemen via the 2025 NFL Draft, Alfred Collins and C.J. West, Anderson has to be wondering about his immediate future on the regular-season roster.
Evan Anderson's roster spot with 49ers is in danger after NFL Draft moves
True, the additions of Collins and West via the draft didn't fully resolve the 49ers' shortages up front, and Anderson's upside displayed in limited action last year help his case to hang around.
That said, Collins is a candidate for plug-and-play work, while West appears poised to start as a two-down 1-technique run stopper in base formations.
This is where Anderson could have made a living, but it doesn't look as if he'll be handed that chance any longer. It's essentially West's job to lose.
Returning veterans like Kalia Davis, Jordan Elliott and Kevin Givens are already threatening Anderson's increasingly precarious hold on a roster spot, while newcomers like Sebastian Valdez won't exactly sit beside and let the second-year former UDFA thrive without a competition.
Anderson will count up to $960,000 against the Niners' salary cap for 2025 with zero in guaranteed money, according to Over the Cap, which means there are no financial ramifications for San Francisco if it feels he's not worth a roster spot.
Of course, merely proving he's worth being a piece in the rotation will go a long way toward, well... being said piece in that rotation.
Even if it means fending off many of the same names who are vying for playing time.
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