Kerry Hyder

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/7/23

Today’s practice squad moves:

Baltimore Ravens

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

San Francisco 49ers

As expected, Tyrion Davis-Price has landed back with the 49ers after getting cut by the big-league club earlier this week. The 2022 third-round pick has seen time in just one game for San Francisco this season, collecting 21 yards from scrimmage on six touches. He appeared in six games as a rookie, collecting 99 rushing yards. He’ll join Jeremy McNichols as the 49ers’ practice-squad options at RB.

Minor NFL Transactions: 12/5/23

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Carolina Panthers

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

  • Waived from PUP list: LB Drew White

A 2021 third-round pick, Rice started 10 games over his first two seasons. Although the Titans cut Zach Cunningham and let David Long sign with the Dolphins, they brought in Azeez Al-Shaair and have used second-year UDFA Jack Gibbens as starters this season. Rice has been strictly a backup, and a post-transaction tweet suggested the young defender was not too broken up about this Tennessee cut.

Hyder joined the Texans earlier this season. The 49ers had waived the rotational pass rusher after trading for Randy Gregory. Reuniting with DeMeco Ryans, Hyder spent much of his Texans stay on their practice squad. The team used the defensive end in two games this season, giving him 40 defensive snaps as a backup. Hyder would be eligible to return to Houston’s P-squad if he clears waivers.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/23/23

Thanksgiving Day transactions from around the league:

Houston Texans

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Horton, a fourth-round rookie out of TCU, released a statement from the team that he is “dealing with a personal health matter that will keep (him) away from the team for an indefinite period of time.” His spot on the roster will be taken by Hyder, a practice squad end who is one of several former 49ers defenders to join head coach DeMeco Ryans in Houston.

The 49ers have upgraded one of their cornerback roster spots, subbing Womack in off the injured reserve for Jean-Charles. Womack was a much more active participant in his rookie season last year than Jean-Charles has been for the 49ers so far this season. While Womack was ready to return, the same could not be said for rookie fifth-round defensive end Robert Beal Jr. Beal was downgraded to out for tonight’s game and will remain on IR with his 21-day practice window still open for four more days.

Meanwhile, Miami and New York are making their standard gameday elevations for the league’s first ever Black Friday football game tomorrow.

Texans Sign DE Kerry Hyder

Another former DeMeco Ryans 49ers charge is heading to Houston. The Texans picked up Kerry Hyder, whom the 49ers dropped last week, on Tuesday.

Hyder, who will join the Texans on a practice squad deal, played for the 49ers during the second of Ryans’ two seasons as their defensive coordinator. The well-traveled defensive end was also with San Francisco in 2020, when Ryans was in place as a position coach. He will follow Jimmie Ward and Hassan Ridgeway in signing with Houston. The Texans also released tackle Geron Christian and wide receiver Lance McCutcheon from their P-squad.

The 49ers released Hyder on roster-cutdown day in August but did so with the understanding he would be brought back soon after. The team followed through on that pledge, re-signing Hyder after making other moves to free up roster spots. But San Francisco’s decision to acquire Randy Gregory from Denver differentiated the latest Hyder cut. A spot did not appear to be available for the former UDFA any longer, but with two former 49ers DCs now in leadership roles elsewhere, Hyder had some important references on which to rely.

While Hyder also played for Robert Saleh during the current Jets head coach’s final season as the 49ers’ DC, the Texans have been busy adding former 49ers. Ward signed a two-year deal this offseason, while Ridgeway followed Ryans on a one-year agreement. It is unclear if the 49ers offered Hyder, 32, a spot on their practice squad.

During a 2020 season in which the 49ers lost Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas in Week 2, Hyder helped out Saleh’s unit with 8.5 sacks. The ninth-year veteran has two eight-plus-sack seasons on his resume, notching eight with the Lions in 2016. This will mark Hyder’s first trip to the AFC. In addition to four Lions seasons, the Texas Tech alum has also spent a season apiece with the Cowboys (2019) and Seahawks (2021). Seattle bailed on Hyder’s two-year, $6.8MM contract after one season, but the 49ers offered him his old job back. Working as a rotational rusher for Ryans’ No. 1-ranked 49ers defense last season, Hyder played 36% of the team’s defensive snaps. Although Hyder’s 2022 stat line was light on production (one sack), he batted down a career-high three passes.

The 49ers have bid adieu to several veteran DEs this year, letting Charles Omenihu, Arden Key and Jordan Willis walk in free agency. While the team re-signed Hyder to a league-minimum deal in April, Gregory now takes his roster spot. Bosa, Gregory, Drake Jackson and Clelin Ferrell are in place as the 49ers’ D-ends.

49ers To Release DE Kerry Hyder

Kerry Hyder will be the odd man out in San Francisco. The 49ers needed to move a player off their 53-man roster to make room for trade acquisition Randy Gregory, and the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman notes Hyder will go.

The well-traveled NFC pass rusher is in his second stint with the 49ers, returning in 2022 after a 2021 Seahawks one-off. Hyder has not seen too much action this season, however, despite the 49ers letting multiple free agent defensive ends walk in March. Hyder has played 59 defensive snaps this season.

[RELATED: 49ers Acquire Gregory From Broncos In Pick-Swap Deal]

While Charles Omenihu and Samson Ebukam left for other opportunities in free agency, respectively signing with the Chiefs and Colts, Hyder came back on a league-minimum deal in April. The 49ers will not be tagged with any dead money by cutting Hyder. This is actually the second time San Francisco has dropped Hyder this year. They released him on roster-cutdown day but brought him back after making IR moves soon after. With Gregory now in the fold, it is uncertain if a path for Hyder to come back exists.

A former Lions UDFA, Hyder spent the 2019 season with the Cowboys before coming to San Francisco. The 49ers observed a breakthrough season from the rotational edge rusher in 2020. A season that featured numerous 49ers injuries saw Nick Bosa shut down with an ACL tear in Week 2. Hyder stayed healthy and totaled 8.5 sacks and 18 QB hits. This led to a midlevel Seahawks contract, but Seattle dropped Hyder after the 2021 season, leading him back to San Francisco.

Hyder, 32, played 36% of the 49ers’ defensive snaps last season. He has one sack this year. It would be logical if Hyder returned to the 49ers’ practice squad as an emergency option of sorts. San Francisco moving him off the roster leaves Bosa, Gregory, Drake Jackson and Clelin Ferrell as its defensive ends.

Kyle Shanahan confirmed Gregory passed his 49ers physical but will not play against the Cowboys on Sunday night. Gregory is staying in Denver this weekend to tie up some loose ends, per Inman, but is expected to return Monday. The 49ers will be on track to have the ex-Cowboys and Broncos edge rusher in uniform against the Browns in Week 6.

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 49ersCardinalsRams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Arizona Cardinals

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Placed on IR:

Signed: 

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Claimed:

Waived:

Signed to practice squad: 

49ers Place Nick Bosa On Reserve/Did Not Report List, Pare Roster To 53

The 49ers joined the Chiefs in placing their best defensive player on the reserve/did not report list due to a holdout and joined the other 30 teams in finalizing their 53-man roster. Some changes are expected, with veterans pledged to stay. But here is how the 49ers reached 53:

Released:

Waived:

Placed on reserve/did not report list:

Placed on IR:

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

The 49ers are planning to re-sign Hyder and Bryant once they make other roster moves, Matt Barrows of The Athletic notes (subscription required). Both are vested veterans who are not subject to waivers. With Samson Ebukam and Charles Omenihu gone, Hyder figures to be a key piece as a rotational defensive end. He is with the 49ers for the third time in four seasons. After an 8.5-sack slate in 2020, Hyder signed with the Seahawks. But Seattle released him in 2021, leading the veteran back to the Bay Area.

San Francisco’s 53-man roster will include Bosa soon, and this holdout does not appear as contentious as the Chris Jones-Chiefs standoff. John Lynch has indicated the 49ers will waive Bosa’s fines for missing training camp — an option the 49ers have due to Bosa being tied to a rookie contract. While the 49ers changed defensive coordinators, bringing in Steve Wilks to replace DeMeco Ryans, D-line coach Kris Kocurek remains in place. Bosa should be able to hit the ground running once he returns, though the 49ers are running short on time here.

Gonzalez suffered a calf injury Kyle Shanahan said would keep him out a few weeks. With the veteran landing on IR, an injury settlement is likely. The 49ers used a third-round pick on Michigan kicker Jake Moody, but Barrows notes the strained quadriceps injury he suffered may keep him out of Week 1. On that note, the 49ers worked out Tristan Vizcaino and Taylor Russolino, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. Robbie Gould, the 49ers’ kicker for the past six seasons, remains unsigned.

49ers To Re-Sign DE Kerry Hyder

Three of Nick Bosa‘s sidekicks left early in free agency. Samson Ebukam (Colts), Charles Omenihu (Chiefs) and Jordan Willis (Raiders) departing left some needs up front for the 49ers. But the defending NFC West champions will keep another of their supporting-cast pass rushers.

Kerry Hyder reached an agreement Friday to stay in San Francisco, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The team will make another bet on the soon-to-be 32-year-old edge defender, who has now signed three 49ers contracts in four years.

The former Lions UDFA put together one of the best seasons of his career in 2020, producing during a season when Bosa went down in Week 2. Hyder racked up 8.5 sacks that year and parlayed that into a three-year, $16.5MM Seahawks deal. Seattle ended up cutting bait after Hyder’s one-sack 2021, leading him back to the Bay Area. Although Hyder registered just one sack last season, the 49ers will bring him back.

While Hyder production has been scarce since 2020, he has been fairly durable. The 275-pound auxiliary rusher has not missed more than two games in a season since 2018. With Ebukam, Omenihu and Willis moving on, there might be more snaps available for Hyder on the Bosa- and Arik Armstead-led defensive line. After totaling 721 defensive snaps in 2020, Hyder’s San Francisco return involved just 356 in 16 games. Hyder, however, played inside more often; his return to the 49ers’ 53-man roster would provide some more flexibility for new DC Steve Wilks and well-regarded D-line coach Kris Kocurek.

San Francisco probably still could use help on the edge. Hyder and a flier on ex-Raiders top-five pick Clelin Ferrell represent the most notable D-end investments in the wake of the Ebukam and Omenihu departures. Of course, the 49ers devoted extensive funds to their defensive interior by giving Javon Hargrave a four-year, $84MM deal to work with Bosa and Armstead. The team also has 2022 second-round pick Drake Jackson in place as a potential fourth starter. Hyder, who also compiled eight sacks with the Lions in 2016, will likely vie for a backup gig.

49ers Rumors: DEs, Thomas, Hufanga

Last season, the 49ers finished the season as one of the top five teams in the league in sacks. The team was led in sacks by star defender Nick Bosa (15.5), Jaguars’ offseason addition Arden Key (6.5), Arik Armstead (6.0), and Samson Ebukam (4.5). As they turn the page towards the 2022 NFL season, San Francisco is looking at how to replace the production of Key and get a little more out of their pass rushers not named “Bosa,” according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic.

Right now, the starting defensive line likely has some combination of Javon Kinlaw, Armstead, and Bosa. Kinlaw is pretty stationary in terms of his placement on the inside of the line, as is Bosa on the edge, but Armstead and Key both were used as pass rushers from the edge and interior last season. With Key gone and Dee Ford not likely to stay with the team, according to a quote from head coach Kyle Shanahan provided by Cam Inman of 95.7 The Game, one of the favorites to fill that vacant role on the line is free agent acquisition Kerry Hyder.

Referring to Hyder as if he is new to the program is a bit misleading as he is only a year and a half removed from the last time he wore a 49ers jersey. That season in San Francisco was the best of his career as he recorded career-highs in sacks (8.5) and tackles (49) and tallied his second-highest season totals in tackles for loss (10.0) and quarterback hits (18). Hyder has experience and ability to play on the inside of the line like Armstead and Key, but his most effective seasons have seen him line up on the end, making him a prime candidate to complete the starting lineup.

Ebukam was fourth on the team in sacks but, at only 4.5, they didn’t provide quite the impact that was expected from his addition. He and Jordan Willis (who totaled 3.0 sacks last year) specialize as speed rushers that maybe don’t have the versatility to run with the first string. 2022 second-round pick Drake Jackson falls into that category, as well, but, as a rookie, he should have plenty of opportunities to make an impact on the line. Former Colts defensive end Kemoko Turay was brought in, too, but his time in Indianapolis mostly saw him playing on a rotational basis.

Charles Omenihu may be the best competition for Hyder considering that, last year, San Francisco used Omenihu in a very similar role as Key. His large frame could land him more on the inside of the line than the outside, but he claims very similar versatility as Hyder, while lacking the top-end production.

Here are a few other rumors on depth chart decisions the 49ers face this offseason, based on the spring practice breakdowns of Barrows:

  • With Jason Verrett still recovering from a torn ACL suffered last September, the 49ers brought in Charvarius Ward on a three-year free agent deal. He ran opposite Emmanuel Moseley with the ones all spring. Barrows noted that last year’s rookie, Ambry Thomas, is currently the No. 3 cornerback on the outside behind Ward and Moseley. Veteran Darqueze Dennard is the first-team unit’s nickel cornerback, though 2022 fifth-round pick Samuel Womack will push him for playing time this season. With those two occupied in the slot, Thomas becomes the team’s top backup option on the outside.
  • This offseason, the 49ers saw longtime safety Jaquiski Tartt depart in free agency. They now have a decision to make on who to pair up with Jimmie Ward in the defensive backfield. The top candidates to replace Tartt have been Talanoa Hufanga, George Odum, and Tarvarius Moore. According to Barrows, Hufanga in the clear frontrunner following spring practices. Hufanga took all of the first-team snaps at strong safety while Odum and Moore ran as the second-team strong and free safeties, respectively. Hufanga made three starts as a rookie last year and will look to make the leap to full-time starter alongside Jimmie in 2022.

49ers To Sign Kerry Hyder

Kerry Hyder is returning to the Bay Area. The 49ers are signing the defensive end to a one-year, $1.5MM deal, according to ESPN’s Field Yates (Twitter link). He adds that half of the contract’s value is guaranteed, while the other half is available through sack incentives. 

Hyder, who will be 31 by the start of the 2022 season, was released by the Seahawks last week along with fellow veteran Carlos Dunlap. His time in Seattle was underwhelming, considering the year he was coming off of previously. In 15 games (including seven starts), he totalled 33 tackles, 1.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. He began his career with the Lions, and spent one year with the Cowboys in 2019.

By returning to San Francisco, though, Hyder will look to replicate his career-best campaign in 2020, which he spent with the 49ers. He started 14 of 16 games, registering 49 stops, 8.5 sacks and 10 tackles for loss. With a 70% snap share, that season also marked his biggest workload. The Texas Tech alum will reunite with a familiar face on the coaching staff in Kris Kocurek, head of the team’s defensive line.

Hyder will join a San Francisco front already featuring the likes of Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead and Dee Ford. Even if he is unable to duplicate his success from two years ago, he should still play a significant role in the team’s pass rush, which ranked fifth in the league in sacks last season.