HEADLINES

Brayden Willis

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/21/25

October 21st, 2025 at 8:38pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Atlanta Falcons

  • Signed: OL Raiqwon O’Neal
  • Placed on IR: OL Ryan Hayes

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: OL Marques Cox
  • Released: OL Karsen Barnhart

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

  • Signed: DE Seth Coleman
  • Released: CB Keenan Garber

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

  • Signed: DT Fatorma Mulbah

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/20/25

October 20th, 2025 at 6:14pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Indianapolis Colts

San Francisco 49ers

David Long Jr. brings some experience to Indy’s practice squad, as the veteran defensive back has seen time in 79 career games. This included a 13-game showing with the Colts in 2024, although all but nine of his 117 snaps came on special teams. If he finds his way to the active roster, he’ll likely be eyeing a similar role this time around.

49ers Activate TE George Kittle From IR

October 18th, 2025 at 3:22pm CST by Ely Allen

As the 49ers say goodbye to one star, they’ll welcome another. Opening a spot on the 53-man roster by officially placing linebacker Fred Warner on injured reserve, San Francisco will fill it with the activation of tight end George Kittle from IR. Kittle is joined as an IR activation by defensive tackle Kevin Givens.

After suffering a full tear of his right hamstring in a Week 1 win over the Seahawks, Kittle sat out five games – the second-highest total of his career. The six-time Pro Bowler will return to an offense that will go without starting quarterback Brock Purdy for the third straight game. With Purdy dealing with a toe injury, Mac Jones will lead the 4-2 Niners against the 3-2 Falcons on Sunday.

The multi-game absences of Kittle and Purdy have been among several injury-related setbacks for San Francisco’s offense this year. The defense also hasn’t been spared. Star pass rusher Nick Bosa went down with a season-ending ACL tear in Week 3. The unit took a similarly brutal shot when Warner dislocated and fractured his ankle in a loss to the Buccaneers last week. The four-time Pro Bowler underwent surgery and will miss the rest of the regular season. A playoff return for Warner is an extreme long shot.

With Warner out of commission, Tatum Bethune will face a gargantuan task in replacing one of the game’s preeminent defenders. Bethune, a seventh-round pick in 2024, has only made one start in 17 career games. Out of 134 snaps this year, just 48 have come on defense. Bethune has otherwise worked on special teams.

While San Francisco’s defense has lost Warner, it’s getting some D-line depth back with Givens set to make his season debut. Givens hasn’t played in 2025 as a result of a pectoral injury. The seventh-year 49er totaled 3.5 sacks and six QB hits in eight games last season.

In addition to the IR transactions, San Francisco announced that defensive end Trevis Gipson has been signed from the practice squad to the 53-man roster. Joining him for the weekend as standard gameday practice squad elevations will be wide receiver Malik Turner and offensive lineman Nick Zakelj. To make room for Gipson on the active roster, the 49ers waived tight Brayden Willis.

Connor Byrne contributed to this post.

49ers To Place G Ben Bartch On IR

September 17th, 2025 at 2:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Post-Laken Tomlinson, the 49ers have prioritized the edges of their offensive line. Trent Williams has stood as a $20MM-per-year blocker since 2021, and the team gave Colton McKivitz another extension after he had replaced top-10 investment Mike McGlinchey at right tackle. That has meant turnover among low-cost players inside. Ben Bartch is part of the latest wave, but he has not made it far in his first season as a full-time San Francisco starter.

Entering the season as the 49ers’ Aaron Banks replacement at left guard, Bartch did not make it out of Week 2. The former Jaguar suffered a high ankle sprain against the Saints, and Kyle Shanahan said he would miss extensive time. That will come to fruition, with the 49ers placing Bartch on IR today, per the San Francisco Chronicle’s Noah Furtado.

This injury is expected to sideline Bartch between four and six weeks, according to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco. The team will use IR as a result. The 49ers have seven injury activations remaining, having used one of their August IR-return designations on defensive tackle Kevin Givens. While Givens already counts toward that eight-activation total due to a summer designation being used, Bartch will not count toward that number until he is brought back to the 53-man roster.

Tied to a one-year, $1.34MM contract, Bartch beat out Nick Zakelj for the 49ers’ LG job in Week 1. However, seventh-round rookie Connor Colby replaced Bartch when he went down in New Orleans. He will start in Week 3, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. Zakelj did not make San Francisco’s 53-man roster but remains on the practice squad. While the young blocker remains an option to provide insurance, the 49ers did not sign him to the active roster in a corresponding move. Tight end Brayden Willis will take Bartch’s place instead.

Colby only arrived as the No. 249 overall pick, but he worked as a four-year starter at Iowa. Blocking for the likes of Kaleb Johnson and Tyler Goodson with the Hawkeyes, Colby earned first-team All-Big Ten acclaim in 2024 and third-team recognition in 2023. Colby made 50 starts at Iowa, providing interesting appeal for a seventh-round pick as a fill-in option. Colby will work opposite 2024 third-round pick Dominick Puni, and it will be worth monitoring if Bartch will return as a starter or a swingman.

A 2020 Jaguars fourth-round pick, Bartch has been in the 49ers’ system since being added shortly after the 2023 trade deadline. Bartch has made 24 career starts, including two last season with the 49ers, but will see his first run as a full-timer since 2022 paused for a while.

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/13/25

September 13th, 2025 at 7:54pm CST by Ely Allen

Here’s are today’s minor transactions and standard gameday practice squad elevations:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears 

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

With one quarterback on the reserve/non-football injury list and starter Brock Purdy inactive, Martinez comes up with the potential to appear in his first ever NFL game, though Niners fans hope his presence will not be necessary.

Bell will be active for tomorrow’s game as the Seahawks work to replace second-round rookie Nick Emmanwori in the secondary. Emmanwori has been ruled out with an ankle injury. Similarly, Wallow will be part of the Broncos’ efforts to fill in for injured linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who has been ruled out for the second week in a row.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

August 27th, 2025 at 6:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ers, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Arizona Cardinals

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Signed: 

Claimed:

Released from IR (via settlement):

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Signed:

Claimed:

Released:

Signed to practice squad:

49ers Cut 25 Players, Set 53-Man Roster

August 26th, 2025 at 5:45pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers had some work to do to get down to their initial 53-man roster. The front office achieved that daunting task this afternoon, as the organization announced the following moves:

Released:

Waived:

Activated from active/PUP:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on reserve/NFI:

Placed on reserve/suspended:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on IR:

Punter Thomas Morstead was cut today, but it sounds like the veteran won’t be a free agent for long. Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports that Morstead is expected to re-sign with the organization. The 39-year-old spent the past two seasons with the Jets, including a 2023 campaign where he led the NFL in punts and punting yards.

Barrows also notes that Jacob Cowing made the initial roster but is expected to land on injured reserve as he nurses a hamstring injury. This could open the door for one of the team’s cut WRs to land back on the active roster. That grouping includes Russell Gage, who had more than 1,500 receiving yards for the Falcons between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Elsewhere on offense, Jeff Wilson‘s reunion with the 49ers proved to be short lived after he joined the organization earlier this month. The veteran spent the past two-plus seasons in Miami, but he had a successful run in San Francisco to begin his career. This included a 2020 campaign where he compiled 733 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.

Minor NFL Transactions: 4/22/25

April 22nd, 2025 at 8:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Detroit Lions

Minnesota Vikings

  • Waived: OL Trevor Reid

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

The Steelers let Najee Harris walk in free agency, passing on re-signing their four-year starting RB despite the Chargers only giving him a one-year, $5.25MM deal. That base value is nearly identical to Warren’s 2025 compensation, set for $5.35MM by virtue of being tendered at the second-round level.

A former UDFA, Warren has served as Harris’ flashier sidekick for three seasons. The former Utah State and Oklahoma State back has proven a find, making key contributions off the bench while on a UDFA deal. Warren, 26, totaled 1,154 scrimmage yards in 2023 and 821 (in 15 games) last year. He will be set to team with Kenneth Gainwell, who is also on a one-year agreement. Pittsburgh has since been linked to adding a starter-level RB in the draft.

RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 2/18/25

February 18th, 2025 at 8:24pm CST by Ely Allen

Tuesday’s free agent tender decisions:

ERFAs

Tendered:

The 49ers made the decision today to tender all of their exclusive rights free agents today. The move restricts the seven players from negotiating with other teams. The players will have the choice to accept the offer and play for the 49ers or not play football in 2025.

San Francisco also has two restricted free agents: linebacker Curtis Robinson and running back Jordan Mason. It is yet to be seen what the team will do with those players who, if tendered, would be allowed to negotiate with other teams but would have to give the 49ers the chance to match any offer.

49ers Place S Talanoa Hufanga On IR; K Jake Moody An IR Candidate

October 9th, 2024 at 3:43pm CST by Adam La Rose

OCTOBER 9: The 49ers are following through with an IR move for one of these regulars. Hufanga is heading back to IR, the team announced. Finishing last season sidelined due to an ACL tear, Hufanga is expected back this season. But the All-Pro safety will be shut down for at least four games. The 49ers signed tight end Brayden Willis from their practice squad to take Hufanga’s roster spot.

OCTOBER 8: Talanoa Hufanga has managed to make a pair of appearances this season for the 49ers, but his next game action will come after a notable absence. The All-Pro safety is dealing with ligament damage in his wrist, head coach Kyle Shanahan said on Tuesday.

[RELATED: 49ers Place Yetur Gross-Matos On IR]

As a result, Hufanga is facing an absence of roughly one month. A stint on injured reserve would ensure at least a four-game absence, making that a consideration in this case. Shanahan added (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) the team has yet to decide if an IR stint will be in store.

In either case, today’s news is unwelcomed given Hufanga’s importance to the 49ers’ secondary and his missed time from last year. The 25-year-old suffered a torn ACL in November, limiting him to 10 regular season games and sidelining him for San Francisco’s run to the Super Bowl. Hufanga was activated from the PUP list at the end of the summer, though, making him eligible to play within the first four weeks of the campaign upon returning to practice.

The former fifth-rounder made his season debut in Week 3 before missing the following contest. Hufanga then suffered his latest injury early in Sunday’s loss to the Cardinals, a game which dropped the 49ers’ record to 2-3. Rebounding from that poor start will be challenging as the team deals with several key absences on defense.

In other injury news, kicker Jake Moody – who is dealing with a high ankle sprain – is facing a similar recovery timeline, per Shanahan. He too could land on IR, something which would result in an extended audition period for the team’s new kicker. Matthew Wright is now in place as Moody’s replacement, having agreed to a practice squad deal earlier today.

The 49ers designated defensive tackle ​Kalia Davis for return from IR before the roster cutdown deadline. That move used one of their eight activations for the year (although Davis has not yet been brought back into the fold), with running back Christian McCaffrey, cornerback Ambry Thomas and Jon Feliciano all still on injured reserve. First-round rookie wideout Ricky Pearsall remains on the reserve/NFI list for now; all four members of that group will use up an activation once they are healthy. The 49ers must therefore be careful with IR designations moving forward, but one or both of Hufanga and Moody could be shelved for four games soon.

Load More Posts