Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West
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:
- WR Andre Baccellia, LB Elliott Brown, OL Jeremiah Byers, RB Michael Carter, OL Jake Curhan, TE Josiah Deguara, WR Simi Fehoko, DL Anthony Goodlow, CB Darren Hall, OL Sincere Haynesworth, OL Nick Leverett, T Roy Mbaeteka WR Tejhaun Palmer, DL Elijah Simmons
Los Angeles Rams
Signed to practice squad:
- OL A.J. Arcuri, OL Wyatt Bowles, WR Tru Edwards, CB A.J. Green, DT Jack Heflin, S Tanner Ingle, CB Cam Lampkin, OL Dylan McMahon, OLB Jamil Muhammad, ILB Elias Neal, DT Bill Norton, WR Brennan Presley, TE Mark Redman, RB Ronnie Rivers, RB Cody Schrader, S Nate Valcarcel
San Francisco 49ers
Signed:
- WR Russell Gage
Claimed:
- DT Jordan Jefferson (from Jaguars)
Released from IR (via settlement):
- RB Corey Kiner
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Eli Apple, WR Junior Bergen, DL William Bradley-King, DB Derrick Canteen, WR Robbie Chosen, DL Trevis Gipson, LB Jalen Graham, OL Drake Nugent, LB Curtis Robinson, WR Malik Turner, DL Sebastian Valdez, TE Brayden Willis, OL Nick Zakelj
Seattle Seahawks
Signed:
Claimed:
- CB Derion Kendrick (from Rams)
Released:
Signed to practice squad:
- DT Quinton Bohanna, WR Tyrone Broden, DT Anthony Campbell, DE Jalan Gaines, WR Courtney Jackson, CB Shemar Jean-Charles, T Amari Kight, G Sataoa Laumea, C Federico Maranges, QB Adrian Martinez, RB Damien Martinez, LB Patrick O’Connell, NT Brandon Pili, S Jerrick Reed, LB Jamie Sheriff, DT J.R. Singleton, RB Anthony Tyus III, WR Ricky White, RB Jacardia Wright
Rams Cut Derion Kendrick, Move To 53
Here is how the Rams trimmed their roster to 53 by today’s deadline:
Released:
- CB A.J. Green
Waived/injured:
- CB Shaun Jolly ·
- OL Willie Lampkin
Waived:
- OL A.J. Arcuri
- OL Wyatt Bowles
- WR Tru Edwards
- DT Jack Heflin
- S Tanner Ingle
- CB Derion Kendrick
- CB Cam Lampkin
- OL Dylan McMahon
- OLB Jamil Muhammad
- ILB Elias Neal
- DL Bill Norton
- ILB Chris Paul Jr.
- WR Brennan Presley
- RB Ronnie Rivers
- RB Cody Schrader
- S Nate Valcarcel
- CB Charles Woods
- WR Britain Covey
- OLB Brennan Jackson
- TE Mark Redman
- WR Drake Stoops
- WR Jordan Waters
Previously a Kyren Williams backup, Rivers had been on the Rams’ 53-man roster throughout last season, playing in all 17 games for the team. But the team drafted Jarquez Hunter in the fourth round this year. Hunter joins Williams and 2024 third-round pick Blake Corum in a three-man backfield currently.
Kendrick started 18 games between 2022 and ’23, re-signing with the Rams in June. In between, however, the young cornerback suffered an ACL tear that sidetracked his career. Kendrick went down in July 2024. The Rams already waived Kendrick and then re-signed him, making it possible they will opt to continue this relationship via a practice squad offer. Sixteen players comprise modern NFL P-squads, but Kendrick being cut is certainly step back for a player who saw a 76% defensive snap rate during his most recent healthy season.
Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West
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:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Andre Baccellia, LB Markus Bailey, LB Krys Barnes, OL Jackson Barton, RB Michael Carter, WR Dan Chisena, CB Jaden Davis, OL Marquis Hayes, OL Keith Ismael, LB Julian Okwara, WR Tejhaun Palmer, QB Desmond Ridder, TE Bernhard Seikovits, DL Ben Stille, CB Divaad Wilson
Los Angeles Rams
Signed:
- DT Neville Gallimore (story)
Claimed:
Waived:
- DT Cory Durden
Placed on IR:
Signed to practice squad:
- OL A.J. Arcuri, OL Justin Dedich, B Zach Evans, TE Miller Forristall, DB Tanner Ingle, DB Shaun Jolly, TE Nikola Kalinic, DB Cam Lampkin, DT Tuli Letuligasenoa, OL Mike McAllister, DT David Olajiga, WR Xavier Smith, WR Drake Stoops, DB Jason Taylor II, OLB Keir Thomas, LB Zach VanValkenburg, WR Sam Wiglusz
San Francisco 49ers
Signed:
- OL Ben Bartch, WR Terrace Marshall Jr., TE Eric Saubert, CB Rock Ya-Sin
Claimed:
Waived:
Placed on IR:
- OL Jon Feliciano, CB Ambry Thomas
Signed to practice squad:
- DE Jonathan Garvin, DB Chase Lucas, S Tracy Walker
Seattle Seahawks
Signed:
Claimed:
Signed to practice squad:
- CB Artie Burns
49ers Activate Talanoa Hufanga, Move Roster To 53
Two 49ers remain out out of the mix (but definitely not out of headlines, in Brandon Aiyuk‘s case), though both standouts are still employed by the team. Though, Trent Williams remains on the reserve/did not report list. Here is how the defending NFC champs pared their roster to 53 by today’s deadline:
Released:
- OL Ben Bartch
- WR Robbie Chosen
- OL Chris Hubbard
- DL T.Y. McGill
- OL Brandon Parker
- TE Eric Saubert
- WR Trent Taylor
- TE Logan Thomas
- S Tracy Walker
- DL Nick Williams
- CB Rock Ya-Sin
Waived:
- OL Isaac Alarcon
- DL Evan Anderson
- DL Alex Barrett
- DL Shakel Brown
- DL Jonathan Garvin
- LB Jalen Graham
- WR Danny Gray
- OL Sebastian Gutierrez
- OL Jarrett Kingston
- TE Cameron Latu
- CB Chase Lucas
- S Jaylen Mahoney
- WR Tay Martin
- QB Tanner Mordecai
- OL Drake Nugent
- TE Mason Pline
- RB Cody Schrader
- TE Brayden Willis
- CB Samuel Womack
Activated from active/PUP list:
Placed on IR (return designation):
- DL Kalia Davis
Placed on reserve/PUP list:
- LB Dre Greenlaw
Hufanga’s status represents a positive development for a 49ers team in need of them. The All-Pro safety had been rumored to join Greenlaw on the reserve/PUP list. Avoiding it does not guarantee Hufanga will be ready for Week 1, but it keeps the fourth-year defender in the equation for the 49ers’ first four games. They are choosing to carry Hufanga on the 53-man roster and go week-to-week with him. This undoubtedly led to Walker being moved off the roster.
Conversely, Mitchell’s time with the team may be over. San Francisco surprised most by vaulting the 2021 sixth-round pick into a starting role to open that season, dropping Trey Sermon to a backup spot. Mitchell operated as San Francisco’s preferred starter — as long as he was healthy, which was sporadic — until the October 2022 Christian McCaffrey trade. The 49ers now have Jordan Mason and rookie Isaac Guerendo as CMC backups.
A hamstring injury has sidelined Mitchell, potentially opening the door to an injury settlement. Davis will be able to return this season for the 49ers; Mitchell’s designation would prevent that. The 49ers are down to seven IR activations as a result of the Davis decision. A 2022 sixth-round pick, Davis remains in the team’s plans despite injuries largely keeping him out of action. Davis has played just three NFL games, and he suffered another injury — a knee issue requiring surgery — during camp.
The 49ers, who will bring many of these players back to the practice squad, cut two recent third-round picks — Gray and Latu. The latter has not played yet as a pro, missing his entire rookie season with an ACL tear. Gray has been unable to carve out a role on a 49ers team that has seen Jauan Jennings stick as the team’s WR3; rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing are also in the mix now.
Latest On 49ers’ RB Depth
Christian McCaffrey‘s recent two-year extension with the 49ers all but assures that he’ll be on the roster through at least the 2026 season. However, there’s uncertainty surrounding the future of the team’s other RBs, and that likely influenced the front office’s approach to the offseason.
[RELATED: 49ers Extend RB Christian McCaffrey]
Elijah Mitchell (unrestricted) and Jordan Mason (restricted) are both set to hit free agency after the season. The duo’s expiring contracts ended up influencing the 49ers’ decision to trade up for fourth-round RB Isaac Guerendo and sign UDFA Cody Schrader, per ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.
Mitchell once seemed poised to take over the starting RB gig in San Francisco, as he collected 1,100 yards from scrimmage as a rookie. However, injuries limited him to only 16 games across the past two years, and with McCaffrey leading the depth chart, Mitchell has compiled only 581 yards over that two-year span. Mason, meanwhile, has averaged 5.6 yards on his 83 carries, and Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that the RB is a likely lock to make the 2024 squad.
Considering his draft status, Guerendo is also probably a lock to make the roster. After peaking with 500 yards at Wisconsin in 2022, the RB took it to another level at Louisville in 2023, collecting 1,044 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns. Schrader, a Missouri product, is probably destined for the practice squad, although he should be in line for a larger role in 2025. The odd man out in this equation would likely be Patrick Taylor, who got into 34 games with the Packers between 2021 and 2023.
While McCaffrey has been able to put together two-straight healthy seasons, the 49ers will surely be wary of his workload as he enters his age-28 season. With $24MM guaranteed over the next two seasons, the 49ers will want to be careful with their offensive star…which will put even more reliance on the rest of the team’s RB depth.
49ers Sign Eight Undrafted Free Agents
The 49ers have been active signing their rookies to contracts, finalizing deals with six of their eight draft picks. The team also found time to add a group of undrafted free agents, as the team announced that they’ve signed eight rookie free agents:
- Evan Anderson, DL (Florida Atlantic)
- Jaylen Mahoney, S (Vanderbilt)
- Briason Mays, OL (Southern Mississippi)
- Tanner Mordecai, QB (Wisconsin)
- Drake Nugent, OL (Michigan)
- Terique Owens, WR (Missouri State)
- Mason Pline, TE (Furman)
- Cody Schrader, RB (Missouri)
Evan Anderson got a significant pay day to join the 49ers offseason roster. The Florida Atlantic product earned a $30K signing bonus and had $250K of his base salary guaranteed, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The defensive lineman was productive in four collegiate seasons, compiling 20 tackles for loss, seven sacks, and three fumble recoveries. Elsewhere on defense, Jaylen Mahoney joins the 49ers after snagging four interceptions and collecting 17 passes defended in fives seasons with the Commodores.
Tanner Mordecai bounced around during his college career. He didn’t play much in three seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to SMU, where he tossed 72 touchdowns across two seasons. He spent the 2023 campaign at Wisconsin, where he connected on nine touchdowns in 10 games. During rookie minicamp, he’ll be joined on the offensive side by Cody Schrader, who is coming off a breakout 2023 campaign where he collected 1,818 yards from scrimmage and 14 touchdowns. The 49ers also added Terique Owens, who is the son of former 49ers star wideout Terrell Owens.