Jose SanchezAug 15, 2026
Sanchez says the preseason opener hurt several 49ers: they expect Christian Kirk and Jacob Cowing to be cut, Nick Martin to be off the team (possibly traded to the Titans), and they set De'Zhaun Stribling as the No. 3 receiver with Demarcus Robinson No. 4.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Jose Sanchez said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromUnless he practices soon, I'd expect Kirk to be cut.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- 5 49ers Whose Stock Lowered in the Preseason Opener
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidAug 14
- GradedSep 25–Oct 25
- 1Christian Kirk to be cut“Unless he practices soon, I'd expect Kirk to be cut. He'd be a waste of a roster spot”
- 2Jacob Cowing to be cut“He is definitely a cut candidate after camp.”
- 3Nick Martin to be cut“after he didn't impress against the Titans, he's easily going to be off the team”
- 4Demarcus Robinson to be 4th on the depth chart“Demarcus Robinson is surely No. 4, or will fluctuate with Stribling.”
- 5De'Zhaun Stribling to be 3rd on the depth chart“he placed his claim to being the cemented No. 3 receiver in the offense”
- 6Nick Martin to move to Tennessee Titans“A trade to the Titans is what I've been mentioning since Robert Saleh is the one who wanted Martin last year”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Christian Kirk to be cut1 | Roster Spot Calls | 1 week on a 53 | 0 | 100 | −200 | |
| Jacob Cowing to be cut2 | Roster Spot Calls | 3 weeks on a 53 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Nick Martin to be cut3 | Roster Spot Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Demarcus Robinson to be 4th on the depth chart4 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| De'Zhaun Stribling to be 3rd on the depth chart5 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Nick Martin to move to Tennessee Titans6 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 calls · 2 misses · 4 waiting | 0 | 50 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive6 checkable claims — 3 roster spot calls, 2 depth chart calls and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 7 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
2 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 0 out of 100, against 50 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands above the rest of the room on every one.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
De'Zhaun Stribling · 2026 season23 calls from 13 pundits between 1 and 4. Jose Sanchez said 3. the room's median is 2. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
1Roster Spot CallsChristian KirkSan Francisco 49ers
Christian Kirk to be cut
What happened1 week on a 530Miss · naive 1000this call−100a naive guess=−100worse than naive×2difficulty=−200skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- SF
- skill:
- −200
- player:
- Christian Kirk
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he does not make the 53
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 1
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 7
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
2Roster Spot CallsJacob CowingSan Francisco 49ers
Jacob Cowing to be cut
What happened3 weeks on a 530Miss · naive 00this call−0a naive guess=0better than naive×2difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- SF
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Jacob Cowing
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he does not make the 53
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 0
- difficulty:
- 2
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 18
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
3Roster Spot CallsNick MartinSan Francisco 49ers
Nick Martin to be cut
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
4Depth Chart CallsDemarcus RobinsonSan Francisco 49ers
Demarcus Robinson to be 4th on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Depth Chart CallsDe'Zhaun StriblingSan Francisco 49ers
De'Zhaun Stribling to be 3rd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Trade and Signing CallsNick MartinTennessee Titans
Nick Martin to move to Tennessee Titans
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 2 settled calls, each counted once
0naive 50
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
AJ Hawk · Game Outcome Picks · San Francisco 49ers · Hit 100
Hawk said the Chiefs would beat the Jets, the Seahawks would beat the Cardinals, and the 49ers would beat the Raiders, even while taking the points with the underdogs in each case.Connor Rogers · Game Outcome Picks · San Francisco 49ers · Hit 100
Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night.Chris Simms · Score Predictions · San Francisco 49ers · Hit 93
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.Christian Booher · Roster Spot Calls · Anthony Lucas · Miss 0
Booher previews the Lions' Week 9 trip to Miami, predicting Derrick Barnes takes over as the green-dot linebacker in Jack Campbell's absence, Juice Scruggs starts at center, and boldly forecasting Detroit's first defensive touchdown of the season on an Aidan Hutchinson strip-sack recovered and returned by Barnes.Randy Gurzi · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Hudson · Miss 0
Gurzi predicts the Cowboys' 17-man practice squad, naming each player they expect Dallas to sign, including a surprise addition of released Giants tackle Evan Neal. They also predict Jaydon Blue will be claimed off waivers by another team and that Sam Williams will land elsewhere.David Harrison · Roster Spot Calls · Jaden Bradley · Miss 0
Harrison gives their initial 53-man roster projection for the Washington Commanders: three quarterbacks including Ethan Kalyak Manus, three running backs, four tight ends, six receivers (leaving off De'Ami Brown and Jaden Bradley), nine offensive linemen with Matt Goldman at center, and a defense of six linebackers but only four cornerbacks. They also project Tunstall and Newton going to IR on Monday with De'Ami Brown and Dietrich Wise re-signed, plus a corner-heavy practice squad.