The 49ers are coming off adisappointing 4-12 season. But because manyof 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 ma sive overhaul.

San Francisco and general manager John Lynch took advantage ofthe No. 2 overall pick and draftedNick Bosa, doubling down on theiredge-rusher upgradeafter trading for Dee Ford. While the defensive focus was on the front seven, the offensive tweakingwas tied toimproving the skill positions for Garoppolo.

NFL QB RANKINGS FOR 2019:

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

49ersdepth chart: offensePos.StarterBackupQBJimmy GaroppoloNick MullensRBTevin Coleman*Jerick McKinnonRBMatt BreidaRaheem MostertFBKyle Juszczyk--WRDante PettisKendrick BourneWRDeebo Samuel*Marquise GoodwinWRTrent TaylorJordan Matthews*TEGeorge KittleGarrett CelekLTJoe StaleyShon ColemanLGLaken TomlinsonBen Garland*CWeston RichburgErik MagnusonRGMike PersonJoshua GarnettRTMike McGlincheyJustin Hunter Strickland Jersey Skule** new to roster in 2019Running back

The 49ers spent good money on Jerick McKinnon last yearonly to get zero return after he torehis ACL right before theseason. That didn't keep them from signing Tevin Coleman, who playedwell 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 recoveryfrom pectoral and arm injuries,respectively.That hasallowed 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 onboth third-down and red-zone situations. He wasa 10- to 12-touch-per-game back with the Falcons, but it shouldn't surprise anyone if Carter Kieboom Jersey that number goes to 15 with the 49ers while Breida and McKinnon split the change-of-pace duties and Mostert goesback to being mostly a special teams ace.

Behind thatgroup, there's also Jeff Wilson and undrafted rookie Austin Walter. As for third-round rookie Jalen Hurd, a converted running back, he isbeing tabbed as more of a wide receiver/tight end hybrid. His unique combination ofsize (6-5, 226 pounds) and quickne s 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 Sean Doolittle Jersey 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 proce s ofbeing demoted to join Hurd as a mismatch-creator in certain field-spreadingpackages.

Pettis (6-1, 195 pounds) is ready to take a big leap as a big-play No. 1 after ballingout 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-intermediatepo se sion man. Garoppolo will like their combined route running to consistentlypush the ball vertically.

Because Samuelalso can workthe slotand Goodwin remainsa capable deep threat, the pre sure 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, setthe 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 age31,coming offsurgery to repair a broken thumb, working to shake off a bad backand, most Joe Blanton Jersey concerning, still feeling the effects of an end-of-season concu sion.

That's why the team used a sixth-round pick on asimilar blocker inKaden Smith (6-5, 255 pounds) out of nearby Stanford, and why it mightneed more cro sover receiving juice from Hurd to supplement what Kittle does. The 49ers are deeper at Austen Williams Jersey this positionout of nece sity and overall have one of the league's best tight end groups.

49ers depth chart: defensePos.StarterBackupDENIck Bosa*Kentavius StreetDTSolomon ThomasArik ArmsteadDTDeForest BucknerD.J. JonesDEDee Ford*Ronald BlairWLBKwon Alexander*Mark NzeochaILBFred WarnerDavid Mayo*SLBMalcolm SmithDre Greenlaw*CBRichard ShermanTarvarius MooreCBJason Verrett*Ahkello WitherspoonCBK'Waun WilliamsD.J. ReedFSJimmie WardAdrian ColbertSSJaquiski TarttMarcell Harris* new to roster in 2019Defensive line

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

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

NFL STADIUM RANKINGS:

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 hasthe higher ceiling. The latter has been a misfit on the edge, but in sliding regularly inside, he can get more out of his pa s-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 pa sing downs. Ford will prove to pay off beyond his own production with his high trickle-down impact.

Linebacker

Joe Ross Jersey The 49ers are banking on Kwon Alexander rounding back into top playmaker form after a torn ACL derailed his fin