Clelin Ferrell

49ers Activate G Ben Bartch From IR

Ben Bartch opened 2025 as the 49ers’ starting left guard, but he has missed most of the season since suffering a high ankle sprain in Week 2. Bartch, who landed on injured reserve on Sept. 17, is now ready to return after sitting out for almost two months. The team announced on Saturday that it has activated Bartch from IR.

A fourth-round pick of the Jaguars in 2020, Bartch has struggled with injuries throughout his NFL career. He played just three games last season, though Bartch still won the summer competition to take over as San Francisco’s top left guard after Aaron Banks accepted a four-year, $77MM offer from Green Bay in free agency.

Now that Bartch is back, it’s unclear whether he’ll immediately regain his starting job. Connor Colby started six games in Bartch’s absence, but Spencer Burford took the reins in a win over the Giants last week. The 49ers haven’t decided whether Bartch or Burford will start in a key game against the NFC West rival Rams on Sunday, per Noah Furtado of the San Francisco Chronicle.

To make room for Bartch, the 49ers placed defensive end Mykel Williams on IR. The first-rounder’s rookie season ended when he tore his ACL last week. To help fill his void, the 49ers elevated defensive linemen Clelin Ferrell and Sebastian Valdez from their practice squad on Saturday.

Ferrell, who signed with the 49ers in late October, made his debut with the team last week and picked up a sack. Valdez went undrafted out of Washington this year. He’s now in line to make his NFL debut on Sunday.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/25

Here are today’s minor moves and practice squad callups for the ninth weekend of the NFL season:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Steelers are getting Harrison back at a crucial time. Fellow linebacker Cole Holcomb has been ruled out this weekend with an illness — as has safety Chuck Clark, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network — and Harrison should be able to reinforce the group. He has plenty of experience playing next to starter Patrick Queen from their time together in Baltimore, so perhaps he’ll be able to step in and contribute right away.

The Chargers continue to see their running backs room plagued with injury. Haskins joins Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris on injured reserve. Johnson and Patterson will suit up tomorrow to provide some depth behind lone survivor Kimani Vidal.

With Terry McLaurin once again set to miss time, Burks, the newly signed p-squad addition, will make his Washington debut. Also a newly signed p-squad addition, Lewis will make his Denver debut this weekend. If he sees game time, 2025 will officially be Lewis’ 20th season in the NFL.

After missing the last three games, Gross-Matos appeared to be close to returning to play. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, the 27-year-old re-injured his hamstring at practice on Thursday and will now miss another four games.

For Leota in New Orleans, Mosby in Green Bay, Sermon in Pittsburgh, Zakelj in San Francisco, and both Proche and Watkins in Tennessee, this Sunday will be their third and final standard gameday practice squad elevation on their current deals. In order to appear in any more games after this, their respective teams will need to sign them to the active roster.

49ers Acquire DE Keion White From Patriots

10:29pm: The 49ers did, in fact, end up signing Ferrell to a practice squad deal after today’s workout, per Schultz. Since leaving San Francisco, Ferrell’s seen his fair share of struggles — failing to make Washington’s initial 53-man roster this year then signing to and getting cut from the Chargers’ practice squad — but with so many injuries plaguing the 49ers’ defensive ends room, a familiar face will be a welcome one as Ferrell joins White as new reinforcements.

5:48pm: In need at edge rusher since Nick Bosa suffered a season-ending torn ACL in Week 3, the 49ers have since lost Bryce Huff to a short-term hamstring malady. They are making an effort to upgrade in the meantime, swinging a deal with the Patriots.

The Pats are sending Keion White to the 49ers, veteran insider Jordan Schultz reports. Signed through 2026, White is on a second-round contract. This is a pick-swap agreement, according to NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero. New England will add a 2026 sixth round pick; San Francisco receives White and a 2026 seventh-rounder in a move which is now official.

Months after giving Huff a much-needed fresh start, the 49ers will do the same for White. The former high-end EDGE prospect did not play in Week 8, with NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport indicating the Pats were attempting to trade him. Rather than an injury scuttling that, White rested Sunday and is now headed west.

During Jerod Mayo‘s year in charge in 2024, White worked as a 13-game starter. That brought a mixed bag, as the Georgia Tech alum tallied five sacks and 16 QB hits. Those numbers were far better than his rookie-year showing (1/5) in those pass-rushing categories, even as the Pats played most of Bill Belichick‘s finale without then-lead rusher Matt Judon.

This year, White has started just one game. He does not have a sack or a QB hit, being among those to have fallen out of favor under head coach Mike Vrabel. Offseason free agent additions Harold Landry and K’Lavon Chaisson have taken over as the Patriots’ top EDGE players, making White expendable during the first year of the Vrabel regime.

While this might not be the end of the 49ers’ trade effort, the NFC West team had attempted to make an upgrade here for a while. Trey Hendrickson came up as a name the team asked about; the Bengals are not interested in moving the contract-year sack ace. General manager John Lynch confirmed the 49ers were interested in making a move, and the team can add White to its list of in-season EDGE pickups in recent years. The 49ers acquired Chase Young, Randy Gregory and Charles Omenihu via trade in recent seasons, and Huff rejoined defensive coordinator Robert Saleh via trade this offseason.

Huff recorded a career-high 10 sacks when he played under Saleh, then the Jets’ head coach, in 2023. The 27-year-old now leads the 49ers with four sacks this season, but Bosa still ranks second with two despite missing the team’s past five games. With a lack of complements to Huff, the 49ers were in dire need of pass-rushing help. It remains to be seen whether White will provide it, but the 49ers are left to hope a change of scenery will yield positive results.

Before agreeing to land White, the 49ers worked out free agent defensive ends Clelin Ferrell, Casey Toohill, Kingsley Jonathan, and Andrew Farmer on Tuesday, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. The 49ers have plenty of familiarity with Ferrell, who was a 17-game starter for them in 2023. He finished with 3.5 sacks that year. While the 49ers could still circle back to Ferrell, Toohill, Jonathan, or Farmer, White has emerged as their newest acquisition.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/14/25

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: G Karsen Barnhart, LB Garrett Nelson

Green Bay Packers

  • Released: K Mark McNamee

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: OT Bayron Matos, QB Brett Rypien
  • Released: OT Marcellus Johnson

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New England Patriots

  • Signed: TE Marshall Lang
  • Released: DB Tyron Herring, TE Gee Scott Jr.

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

  • Released: G Tyler Cooper

With Anthony Richardson heading to injured reserve with an eye injury, the Colts are set to add some QB depth in veteran Brett Rypien, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. The 29-year-old brings four games of starting experience to Indy, with his most recent start coming with the Rams in 2023. In total, Rypien has completed 58.3 percent of his career passes for 950 yards, four touchdowns, and nine interceptions. Riley Leonard will temporarily be the QB2 behind Daniel Jones, but there’s a chance Rypien eventually works his way up to the active roster.

The Chargers moved on from a notable edge defender today in Clelin Ferrell. The former Raiders first-round pick started all 17 games for the 49ers just two years ago, with the edge rusher finishing that campaign with 3.5 sacks and 13 QB hits. He started 10 of his 14 appearances with the Commanders in 2024, adding another 3.5 sacks to his resume. After being among Washington’s final preseason cuts, Ferrell caught on with the Chargers practice squad and ended up getting into one game with the big-league club.

The Eagles moved on from a pair of skill players today. Audric Estime was a fifth-round pick by the Broncos last year, with the running back compiling 337 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns on 81 touches. He was waived by Denver back in August and landed on Philly’s practice squad. Javon Baker was a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in last year’s draft, but he was limited to a single catch in 11 games.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/4/25

Here are Week 5’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New York Giants

New York Jets

Seattle Seahawks

Washington Commanders

Huntley will be on hand to back up backup quarterback Cooper Rush in Baltimore tomorrow against the Texans. Okoye is called up for the second week in a row as injuries continue to hamper the Ravens’ defensive line, as well.

With some continuing injuries causing some concern in the secondary, the Browns will elevate Avery and Jones for the second straight week. Jones is being elevated for the third time this season, meaning that if Cleveland wants to see him in another game this year, the team will need to sign him to the active roster. The same is true for Logue in Buffalo, Hewitt with the Giants, Clark with the Jets, and Pili in Seattle.

Arnette’s promotion means Week 5 will mark his first regular season action in the NFL since the end of his Raiders tenure in 2021. The former first-round pick revived his career in part through his performances in the UFL this spring, something which created interest from multiple teams in free agency. Arnette, 29, will look to use tomorrow’s contest in a bid to land a permanent role in Houston.

This is the second time the Jets have parted ways with a kick returner following a game in which they had a costly fumble. Williams follows in footsteps of Xavier Gipson, who was waived following a similar mistake in the team’s season opener. There appears to be a pretty short leash for young returners in New York at the moment.

Chargers Promote S Tony Jefferson

The Chargers promoted veteran safety Tony Jefferson from the practice squad to the active roster, per a team announcement.

In Week 2, Jefferson started in place of Elijah Molden, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury. Molden has yet to practice this week, so Jefferson will likely get the starting nod once again after a solid game on Sunday. He made five tackles, defended two passes, and reeled in an interception on a deep ball just before halftime.

Jefferson was still eligible for two elevations from the practice squad, but the Chargers had an open roster spot after placing Khalil Mack on injured reserve earlier this week. The team could move him back to the practice squad if needed, but more strong showings from Jefferson could keep him in the mix even when Molden returns to the field.

It’s another step in an impressive journey for the former UDFA just two years after he retired from the NFL nine seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Cardinals and Ravens. Jefferson took a scouting fellowship with the latter team after initially hanging up his cleats, but he launched a comeback in 2024. Los Angeles was a natural destination given his history with new Chargers general manager Joe Hortiz, who came up in Baltimore’s front office and added several other former Ravens during his first year in charge.

The Chargers also signed outside linebackers Clelin Ferrell and Rashad Weaver to the practice squad. Ferrell never lived up to his billing as the No. 4 overall selection in 2019, but he has started 27 games over the last two years with a total of seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss. Weaver, originally a Titans fourth-round pick in 2021, put up 5.5 sacks in 2022 but was otherwise a rotational contributor during his time in Tennessee. He spent the 2024 season with the Texans, but only played 18 defensive snaps during the regular season.

Chargers, Clelin Ferrell Agree To Deal

Clelin Ferrell worked out for the Chargers yesterday. That visit clearly went well, since a deal has now been agreed to.

Ferrell is signing with Los Angeles, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports. This practice squad move (which is now official) comes in the wake of fellow edge rusher Khalil Mack being placed on injured reserve. With a four-game absence (or longer) in store as a result, Ferrell will look to provide depth on his latest team.

The former No. 4 pick had an underwhelming start to his career in the AFC West. Over the course of his four years with the Raiders, Ferrell posted just 10 sacks while seeing his playing time fluctuate. A one-year pact with the 49ers followed, and it brought about a rotational role. Ferrell notched 3.5 sacks in San Francisco, and he matched that figure with the Commanders last year.

Tuli Tuipulotu is set to remain a key figure for the Chargers along the edge, but Mack’s injury (coupled with the decision to release Joey Bosa this offseason) will require other contributors to emerge. Veteran Bud Dupree will no doubt see an uptick in playing time while Mack is sidelined, while fourth-round rookie Kyle Kennard could draw into the lineup. Ferrell will now join that mix as well.

Rashad Weaver also took part in a workout with the Chargers this week, but today’s move certainly suggests he will not be signed. Weaver will continue to seek out his next opportunity as a free agent as the early part of the campaign plays out. Los Angeles entered Thursday with $12.9MM in cap space; that figure will drop to an extent once the Ferrell signing is official but he will not heavily impact the team’s other financial plans.

Chargers Audition Clelin Ferrell

Clelin Ferrell re-signed with the Commanders this offseason, but the former top-five pick did not end up making the team’s initial 53-man roster. Rather than being kept as practice squad insurance, Ferrell has resided in free agency since that Washington decision.

Khalil Mack‘s injury could open another door, however. The Chargers brought Ferrell and fellow edge rusher Rashad Weaver in for workouts Tuesday, KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson tweets.

The Bolts will see their outside linebacker depth tested in a way it hasn’t in recent years. Although Joey Bosa struggled to stay healthy, he represented a rather important piece during his nine seasons in Southern California. The Chargers also had Mack to rely on, as the former Defensive Player of the Year had missed just one game from 2022-24. The Bolts cutting Bosa and seeing Mack go down with a dislocated elbow — an injury Jim Harbaugh said is not expected to be season-ending — has changed the equation.

Bud Dupree is set to step into the Bolts’ lineup opposite Tuli Tuipulotu. This will be an adjustment for the Chargers, who could roll out a Bosa-Mack-Dupree-Tuipulotu quartet last season. They added Kyle Kennard in the fourth round but have yet to dress the rookie. That will probably change moving forward.

Ferrell’s past also makes this an interesting workout. The Raiders brought in the Clemson product at No. 4 overall months after trading Mack to the Bears. Viewed as a reach by most, Ferrell did not live up to his draft slot. He resurfaced in San Francisco, starting 17 regular-season games for the NFC championship-winning team. Ferrell produced 3.5 sacks in both 2023 and ’24, operating as a 10-game starter with Washington last year.

The Commanders re-signed him to a one-year, $2MM deal in March but then added Von Miller over the summer. Preston Smith is also back in Washington, while Ferrell (28) awaits his next opportunity.

Commanders Make 30 Cuts, Place G Sam Cosmi On PUP

The Commanders made a massive wave of roster moves this afternoon, releasing 30 players and placing starting right guard Sam Cosmi on the reserve/physically unable to perform list, per a team announcement.

Cosmi, 26, was viewed as a long shot to be ready for Week 1 after tearing his ACL in January. The fifth-year lineman will be sidelined for at least four games with veteran Nick Allegretti likely to start in the interim.

Here are the rest of Washington’s moves:

Waived

Released

Hartman, who signed with the Commanders as an undrafted free agent in 2024, was never going to make the roster ahead of veterans Marcus Mariota and Josh Johnson. He is likely to return to Washington’s practice squad if he clears waivers, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

Felton is another practice squad candidate, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. He hasn’t appeared in a regular-season game since 2022 and most recently played for the UFL’s Birmingham Stallions.

Headlining Washington’s veteran cuts is Ferrell, who started 10 games for the Commanders in 2024. He never lived up to his draft billing as the No. 4 pick in 2019 and will now be looking for his fourth team in as many years. H0lmes and Day both had rotational defensive line roles last season, while Deiter started two games as the backup center but lost his spot this year.

Commanders To Release DE Clelin Ferrell

Re-signed in March, Clelin Ferrell will not be part of the Commanders’ initial 53-man roster. Washington is releasing the former top-five pick, veteran reporter Ben Standig tweets.

Ferrell played a key role for the team last season, starting 10 games. The 28-year-old DE will head back to free agency, getting a head-start on the non-vested veterans who must wait until 11am CT Wednesday to clear waivers.

Given a $2MM deal to stay in Washington, Ferrell received just $100K guaranteed. That represented a sign his roster spot was not secure. That said, the Commanders could circle back to the former Raiders and 49ers edge rusher after next month’s guarantee vesting date for qualified vets. Had Ferrell been on Washington’s 53-man roster in Week 1, his $2MM would have become guaranteed. It is also quite possible Ferrell is done in Washington.

Although the Commanders lost top 2024 sacker Dante Fowler (to the Cowboys) in free agency and exited their offseason program with an apparent need at D-end, they still roster Dorance Armstrong. The team added multiple DE pieces as well, with Von Miller‘s summer arrival headlining that group. The team also added Deatrich Wise and Jacob Martin in free agency.

As ESPN.com’s John Keim notes, the Commanders used Ferrell extensively during the preseason — including fourth-quarter work against the Bengals. That evaluation preceded a release, and it comes after Ferrell — who did not live up to his No. 4 overall draft slot with the Raiders — started 17 games with the 49ers in 2023. Ferrell started over Commanders trade pickup Chase Young that year, though an injury prevented him from playing in Super Bowl LVIII. Ferrell registered 3.5 sacks in both the 2023 and ’24 seasons. Last season, he posted nine QB hits and four tackles for loss as a supplementary rusher alongside Armstrong and Fowler.