49ers Cut 13 Players
The 49ers have released 13 players, including linebacker Jayson DiManche and wide receiver Eric Rogers. Here’s the full list:
- OL Alex Balducci
- S Marcus Ball
- LB Carl Bradford
- LB Jayson DiManche
- TE Je’Ron Hamm
- WR Chris Harper
- LB Wynton McManis
- P Brock Miller
- DL Zach Moore
- NT Mike Purcell
- WR Eric Rogers
- CB JaCorey Shepherd
- LB Shayne Skov
DiManche was just signed on April 7th, so his stint in San Francisco lasted less than one month. We haven’t seen DiManche in live action since 2015 when he appeared in one game for the Browns. Prior to that, he spent two seasons with the Bengals.
Rogers, a former CFL standout, was a practice field favorite of Chip Kelly last offseason until an unfortunate injury shut him down for the season. This week, the 49ers signed undrafted Baylor wide receiver K.D. Cannon and that only further crowded the wide receiver position in SF. With Rogers and Harper out of the picture, the team still has nine receivers under contract.
49ers Place Torrey Smith On IR
The 49ers have lost another starter to injury for the season, placing Torrey Smith on IR, Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com reports. This increases the team’s total on the injured list to 17, with nine of those having been starters.
Linebacker Wynton McManis will take Smith’s roster spot, per Wagoner.
Going into mid-December, Smith had never missed a game in his six years as an NFLer. The former Ravens second-round pick had played in 92 consecutive regular-season games to start his career, with that total climbing to an even 100 when counting his appearances during Baltimore’s playoff runs in 2011, 2012 and 2014. But a concussion suffered during Week 14 will shelve the 49ers’ highest-paid receiver for this season’s remainder.
He will finish with his worst statistical season as a pro, having hauled in 20 passes for 267 yards and three touchdowns in 12 starts. Smith’s previous low (663 yards) came with the 2015 49ers after he signed a five-year deal last March. The 49ers’ quarterback situation helped render Smith ineffective, and the 27-year-old target was the subject of trade discussion before the November deadline. The 49ers discussed a Smith trade to the Eagles but ended up retaining him.
Three years remain on Smith’s contract, with the cap-rich team saving $4.8MM by cutting him in the offseason but also incurring $4.8MM in dead money by doing so at that juncture. He stands to count $9.6MM against San Francisco’s cap the next three seasons.
49ers Place Three Players On IR
As the 49ers seek their second win of the year, they’ll have to do it without the services of three of their players. Wide receiver Quinton Patton, linebacker Nick Bellore, and tight end Blake Bell will all be shut down for the year, as Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com writes. 
Patton (foot) and Bellore (elbow) both went down early on in Sunday’s embarrassing 41-13 loss to the Falcons. Bell, meanwhile, suffered a shoulder injury after being tackled on a 45-yard pass play in the second quarter. In addition to those three, Maiocco notes that cornerback Jimmie Ward (shoulder), center Marcus Martin (ankle), and nose tackle Glenn Dorsey (undisclosed) also sustained injuries yesterday and their status for Weeks 16 and 17 are not yet known.
The 49ers could fill some of these roster spots from within, if they choose. Wide receiver DeAndre Smelter and linebacker Wynton McManis could be candidates for promotion from the practice squad, Matt Barrows of The Sacramento Bee tweets.
NFC North Notes: Bears, Fuller, Vikes, Peterson
The Bears announced last week that defensive back Kyle Fuller would be their IR/return player, and Fuller is practicing today for the first time since he was placed on injured reserve in late September. This opens the 21-day window for the team to evaluate the former first-round pick. Chicago head coach John Fox said last week he would be “surprised” if Fuller wasn’t participating in workouts soon, and that level of optimism could be an indication that Fuller could return to game action quickly.
Here’s more out of Chicago:
- The Bears tried out tight ends Kivon Cartwright and J.P. Holtz, defensive back Justin Currie, and linebacker John Lotulelei this week, according to Howard Balzer of BalzerFootball.com (Twitter link). Chicago also auditioned linebacker Wynton McManis, who has since joined San Francisco’s practice squad. The Bears have been hit with injuries at nearly every level of their offense and defense, and could be aiming for additional depth as the year comes to a close.
- Adrian Peterson is “way ahead” of schedule, according to fellow Vikings running back Jerick McKinnon, who keeps in touch with Peterson, Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press writes. Peterson is currently going through the rehab process with an eye on a December return, and a report yesterday indicated that he had engaged in some light running during practice sessions.
- Earlier this week, the Bears placed veteran linebacker Danny Trevathan on injured reserve after he ruptured his patella tendon, and used the open roster spot to promote rookie wide receiver Daniel Braverman from the practice squad.
- The Packers and Bears are among the NFL clubs that are expressing interest in a pair of Australian Rugby League players.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/29/16
Today’s practice squad moves:
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: OL Kevin Graf
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: WR Chris Hubert
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: CB Asa Jackson
- Cut: LB James Burgess
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T Jake Rodgers, T Tyrus Thompson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Tony McRae
New England Patriots
- Signed: TE Kennard Backman, RB D.J. Foster
New York Jets
- Cut: OL Zach Sterup
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: LB Wynton McManis
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: WR Kevin Smith
- Cut: RB Zac Brooks, RB Malcolm Johnson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: CB D’Joun Smith
49ers Cut Jerome Simpson, Eight Others, Place Eric Rogers On IR
The 49ers released Jerome Simpson and waived eight other players, Matt Maiocco of CSNBayArea.com reports (on Twitter). They also placed coveted ex-CFL wide receiver Eric Rogers on IR after he tore his ACL earlier this month.
Here are the other players San Francisco cut today:
- WR DiAndre Campbell
- RB Kendall Gaskins
- DT Darren Lake
- K John Lunsford
- ILB Wynton McManis
- G Blake Muir
- G Ian Silberman
- CB Cleveland Wallace
Originally a Bengals second-round pick in 2008, Simpson has seen action in seven seasons — with Cincinnati from 2008-11, Minnesota from 2012-13 and with the 49ers last year — but saw a suspension derail his most recent one. The 30-year-old wideout signed a two-year, $1.73MM deal with San Francisco before last season but saw a substance-abuse policy suspension shelve him for six games. Simpson, who recorded 700-yard+ seasons with the Bengals and Vikings, made just five receptions for 54 yards in 2015.
The 49ers, who have to make four cuts to get to the 75-man limit by the Tuesday-afternoon deadline, do not owe Simpson any guaranteed money.
Rogers, who chose to sign with the 49ers because of Chip Kelly‘s presence, received the most lucrative deal for a CFL refugee since Cameron Wake in 2009. He fielded offers from nearly half the league after re-establishing his stock, one that didn’t initially attract much NFL interest after signing with the Cowboys as a UDFA in 2013.
Gaskins played in nine games for the Niners last season, receiving 16 carries and gaining 38 yards as a rookie.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/12/16
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
- After announcing 13 undrafted free agent signings earlier this week – and another one below – the Raiders have confirmed three more additions to their roster. Wide receiver Jaydon Mickens (Washington), guard Denver Kirkland (Arkansas), and guard/center Terran Vaughn (Stephen F. Austin) are the newest Raiders, according to a team release.
Earlier updates:
- The Raiders announced that they have signed undrafted rookie free agent defensive end Greg Townsend Jr. from USC, as ESPN.com’s Paul Gutierrez writes. Townsend’s father played for the L.A. Raiders from 1983-93 and returned to Oakland in 1997. Townsend, who dealt with injury and health issues while in school, finished out his collegiate career with 6.5 sacks and 68 tackles in 33 career games (15 starts).
- Fullback Toben Opurum has had a busy week — the 25-year-old was cut by New Orleans at the start of the week, was claimed off waivers by the Broncos, and now has been waived by Denver as well, due to a failed physical, tweets Adam Caplan of ESPN.com.
- The Bears announced that they have signed undrafted free agent rookie offensive lineman Adrian Bellard (Texas State), as Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle notes (via Twitter) that Bellard received a $7K signing bonus. Meanwhile, defensive back Anthony Jefferson has been placed on waivers.
- Washington confirmed today that the team has cut offensive tackle Joe Gore. According to Wilson (via Twitter), Gore received a failed physical designation, so it appears that the Clemson alum – signed last week as a UDFA – suffered an injury this week.
- The Colts signed free agent tackle Jeremy Vujnovich and waived linebacker Anthony Sarao, Mike Chappell of CBS4 tweets. Vujnovich has spent the last two seasons on Green Bay’s practice squad.
- The 49ers waived undrafted Stanford linebacker Kevin Anderson while signing Memphis linebacker Wynton McManis, Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group tweets.
- The Chargers have cut offensive lineman Michael Huey, tweets Aaron Wilson. Huey will become a free agent if he goes unclaimed on waivers.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.