49ers depth chart 2019: Jimmy Garoppolo gets a boost from newcomers at RB, WR

The 49ers are coming off a disappointing 4-12 season. But because many of their struggles were tied to the early season-ending knee injury suffered by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, they made a handful of calculated moves to improve in 2019 instead of a massive overhaul.

San Francisco and general manager John Lynch took advantage of the No. 2 overall pick and drafted Nick Bosa, doubling down on their edge-rusher upgrade after trading for Dee Ford. While the defensive focus was on the front seven, the offensive tweaking was tied to improving the skill positions for Garoppolo.

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Here's a breakdown of the 49ers' depth chart projection, focusing on the key roster changes, as they inch toward the 2019 regular season.

49ers depth chart: offense

Running back

The 49ers spent good money on Jerick McKinnon last year only to get zero return after he tore his ACL right before the season. That didn't keep them from signing Tevin Coleman, who played well for Kyle Shanahan in Atlanta, to a two-year, $10 million deal this year.​

McKinnon is still on the mend with his knee, while the Niners' top two fill-in backs from last season, Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert, remain in recovery from pectoral and arm injuries, respectively. That has allowed Coleman to dominate early practice work with his new team, and despite Shanahan and Breida suggesting a big committee once everyone's healthy, Coleman is their most talented all-around back in a system he knows.

Coleman stands out from the mix as the biggest back (6-1, 210 pounds) and is an underrated physical runner as well as skilled receiver, meaning he can stay on the field on both third-down and red-zone situations. He was a 10- to 12-touch-per-game back with the Falcons, but it shouldn't surprise anyone if that number goes to 15 with the 49ers while Breida and McKinnon split the change-of-pace duties and Mostert goes back to being mostly a special teams ace.

Behind that group, there's also Jeff Wilson and undrafted rookie Austin Walter. As for third-round rookie Jalen Hurd, a converted running back, he is being tabbed as more of a wide receiver/tight end hybrid. His unique combination of size (6-5, 226 pounds) and quickness will earn him some backfield touches as another Shanahan gadget player in the Taylor Gabriel mold.

With Hurd, Mostert and fullback Kyle Juszczyk as roster keepers behind Coleman, there will be two odd men out between McKinnon, Breida, Wilson and Walter.

Wide receiver

The 49ers are literally going full speed ahead with a youth movement. Second-year man Dante Pettis and rookie Deebo Samuel — both second-round picks — are taking over the starting outside roles. Pierre Garcon was cut, and Marquise Goodwin is in the process of being demoted to join Hurd as a mismatch-creator in certain field-spreading packages.

Pettis (6-1, 195 pounds) is ready to take a big leap as a big-play No. 1 after balling out when healthy in the final two months of last season. Samuel (5-11, 214 pounds) also can fly downfield, but despite his size, he also is tough and strong enough to be a reliable short-to-intermediate possession man. Garoppolo will like their combined route running to consistently push the ball vertically.

Because Samuel also can work the slot and Goodwin remains a capable deep threat, the pressure is on Trent Taylor (5-8, 180 pounds) to rebound as an inside option. The team also took a flyer on big slot Jordan Matthews (6-3, 215 pounds) for more versatile depth.

Because of Hurd, expect at most five traditional wideouts to make the roster. Taylor and Matthews will be pushed by holdovers Kendrick Bourne and Richie James for the final spots.

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Tight end

George Kittle, the best tight end in the NFL, set the single-season record for receiving yardage at the position while also run blocking at a high level. But behind him, Garrett Celek has an unknown future at age 31, coming off surgery to repair a broken thumb, working to shake off a bad back and, most concerning, still feeling the effects of an end-of-season concussion.

That's why the team used a sixth-round pick on a similar blocker in Kaden Smith (6-5, 255 pounds) out of nearby Stanford, and why it might need more crossover receiving juice from Hurd to supplement what Kittle does. The 49ers are deeper at this position out of necessity and overall have one of the league's best tight end groups.

49ers depth chart: defense

Defensive line

Christmas came early for defensive coordinator Robert Saleh with the gifts of Ford and Bosa to rev up a pass rush that had only 37 sacks (tied for 22nd) last season. The limited pressure also affected the 49ers' takeaway potential, as they had a league-low two interceptions.

Playing off each other at end, double-digit sacks for both Ford and Bosa are reasonable expectations. They join tackle DeForest Buckner, who made his first Pro Bowl on the strength of a career-high 12 sacks last season.

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Whether the 49ers transform into a top front four, then, comes down to an intriguing tackle battle between first-round disappointments Arik Armstead (2015) and Solomon Thomas (2017). Armstead was effective stopping the run working with Buckner, but Thomas has the higher ceiling. The latter has been a misfit on the edge, but in sliding regularly inside, he can get more out of his pass-rush moves. Bosa, Buckner and Ford will give whoever wins this battle good blocking matchups to exploit.

That favors Thomas to have a third year that's more in line with his freakish talent. Ideally, Saleh can use both effectively, with Armstead getting more of the early-down work inside and Thomas getting every chance to get to the quarterback on passing downs. Ford will prove to pay off beyond his own production with his high trickle-down impact.

Linebacker

The 49ers are banking on Kwon Alexander rounding back into top playmaker form after a torn ACL derailed his final season with the Buccaneers. Alexander has put up some good coverage stats in the past, but his strength is flying upfield to clean up against the run and finish on blitzes. He is better on the weak side, playing to what he does best, than he is in the middle. He profiles better as a K.J. Wright for this Seahawks-styled defense than as a Bobby Wagner.

Fred Warner and Malcolm Smith are below-average starters, so the 49ers were smart to get some contingencies there. David Mayo was a supersub for Luke Kuechly in Carolina, and rookie fifth-rounder Dre Greenlaw, who is getting several offseason reps while Alexander gets healthy, brings some much-needed speed and quickness to the second level.

If Alexander produces like he once did, this can be a solid unit to back up the fortitude on the line.

Cornerback

The 49ers' spending and drafting on their front seven meant they could do little to upgrade their secondary. But if they had to make one move, taking a chance on Jason Verrett made a ton of sense. It's been four years since Verrett went to the Pro Bowl with the Chargers, and since then, the 5-10, 188-pounder has played only five games. He has both a torn ACL (2016) and a ruptured Achilles (2018) in his recent past.

Verrett comes from a scheme similar to how the 49ers operate on the back end. He has enough natural coverage skills (zone or man) and toughness that, if he can prove healthy, he can easily displace a liability in Ahkello Witherspoon and start opposite Richard Sherman. That would make the 49ers much more respectable on the outside.

The hope is the increased heat up front will allow this group to be more active around the ball with shorter coverage times. If Verrett doesn't start, then this group would still be average at best.