Minor NFL Transactions: 10/10/20
Here is the latest barrage of Saturday minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: TE Evan Baylis, S Curtis Riley
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: DB Tyler Hall, LB Edmond Robinson
Chicago Bears
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Badara Traore
Cincinnati Bengals
- Promoted: DT Kahlil McKenzie, CB Torry McTyer
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DT Joey Ivie, DE Cameron Malveaux
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: T Jake Rodgers
- Placed on IR: RB LeVante Bellamy
Houston Texans
- Promoted: LB Nate Hall, S Jonathan Owens
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: G Jake Eldrenkamp, WR Marcus Johnson
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: DL Caraun Reid, LB Quincy Williams, S Jarrod Wilson
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: DE Datone Jones, DE Chris Smith
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: DT Eric Banks
Miami Dolphins
- Promoted: DE Tyshun Render
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: DE Eddie Yarbrough
Philadelphia Eagles
- Activated from IR: CB Craig James, WR Quez Watkins
- Promoted: DB Grayland Arnold, TE Jason Croom, DB Elijah Riley
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: FB Trey Edmunds
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: CB Brian Allen, CB Jamar Taylor, WR Kevin White
Seattle Seahawks
- Promoted: S Damarious Randall
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: CB Greg Mabin
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: TE Temarrick Hemingway
49ers Place DE Ezekiel Ansah, CB K'Waun Williams On IR
- The 49ers‘ injury woes continue, as Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (biceps) and cornerback K’Waun Williams (knee/hip) are heading to the IR. Ansah joined San Francisco in late September, and he’s proceeded to appear in two games. He spent the 2019 campaign with the Seahawks, finishing with 18 tackles, two forced fumbles, and 2.5 sacks. Williams has spent the past three-plus seasons with the 49ers, and he’s started two of his four appearances this season. Fortunately, there is some good news out of San Francisco, as head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will start Sunday against the Dolphins (via ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Twitter). Garoppolo has missed the past two-plus games, with the team mostly turning to Nick Mullens in his stead.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/7/20
Here are Wednesday’s practice squad moves, with the list being updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: S Curtis Riley
Detroit Lions
- Signed: RB Tavien Feaster
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: LB Jonas Griffith
New York Jets
- Restored to practice squad roster: WR Donte Moncrief
- Placed on practice squad IR: WR Lawrence Cager
San Francisco 49ers
- Restored to practice squad roster: CB Tim Harris
- Signed: DL Josiah Coatney, DL Adam Shuler
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB DeMarkus Acy, LB Michael Divinity
- Released: WR Lance Lenoir
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/6/20
Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB Jonathan Ward
- Released: DB Curtis Riley
Cleveland Browns
- Placed on IR: WR KhaDarel Hodge
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: WR Reggie Begelton
New England Patriots
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Bill Murray; Murray was on Patriots’ practice squad
New York Giants
- Promoted: TE Eric Tomlinson
- Waived: S Sean Chandler
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: DE Alex Barrett
- Waived: TE Charlie Taumoepeau
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: WR Cyril Grayson
Washington Football Team
- Released from IR: WR Jordan Veasy
49ers To Release Mohamed Sanu
The 49ers will release wide receiver Mohamed Sanu, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. With Deebo Samuel and Richie James on the mend, the Niners will shift their focus to their younger targets. Meanwhile, Sanu is now available for teams in need of an experienced receiver. 
Sanu joined the Niners just a few weeks ago on a deal worth just over the veteran’s minimum. The former Bengals, Falcons, and Patriots wideout reunited with former Falcons coach Kyle Shanahan, but the party didn’t last long. Sanu suited up for three games, but he leaves SF with just one catch for nine yards from their Week 2 romp over the Giants.
The 31-year-old didn’t impress in his eight regular season games (six starts) with the Patriots last year, either. He finished out with 26 grabs (on 47 targets) for 207 yards and one score. Then, he was invisible during New England’s playoff loss to the Titans as he caught just one pass for eleven yards. Although he’s accomplished and experienced, the Niners are far more fixated on the acrobatics of rookie Brandon Aiyuk and the rest of the bunch.
In 2018, Sanu turned in perhaps the best performance of his career, catching 66 passes for 838 yards and four TDs with the Falcons. He might not be able to reprise that performance, but he will try to get a bit closer to that.
49ers’ K’Waun Williams Suffers ACL Injury
49ers cornerback K’Waun Williams played through a somewhat rare ACL sprain on Sunday, but he won’t need surgery to correct the issue, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. If rehab goes well, Williams could be back in action in as little as three weeks. For now, he’ll be shelved on the injured reserve list.
[RELATED: Torn Biceps For 49ers’ Ziggy Ansah]
That’s relatively good news, though the Niners are already shorthanded due to a rash of injuries. Hopefully, Williams is able to make a quick recovery while also healing up from his previous hip issue. Fellow cornerback Richard Sherman might not be back for a little while either, putting more pressure on Jason Verrett and the rest of the group to keep a lid on things. Starter Emmanuel Moseley remains in concussion protocol and the Niners are waiting to see if Ahkello Witherspoon‘s hamstring will allow him to play this week.
Williams, 29, has started in 26 of his 47 games since joining the 49ers. Last year, he set a new personal watermark with two interceptions and also tallied his fourth career sack.
The Niners dropped to 2-2 on Sunday as the Eagles pulled ahead in the fourth quarter. This week, they’ll look to get over the .500 mark against the Dolphins, who are rolling with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starter.
49ers Fear Ziggy Ansah Has Torn Biceps
The 49ers lost to the Eagles on Sunday Night Football to fall to 2-2 and the basement of the NFC West, and the bad news doesn’t stop there. San Francisco fears pass-rusher Ziggy Ansah, who left the game with an arm injury, suffered a torn biceps, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network (Twitter link).
An MRI is need to confirm but if that’s the case, then Ansah is likely done for the year. It’s a tough blow to a 49ers defensive line that has been decimated by injuries. The defensive front was the engine behind their Super Bowl run last year, and the unit is now completely unrecognizable. All-Pro DeForest Buckner was traded to the Colts this offseason, and Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas are both done for the season after suffering torn ACLs.
Ansah was brought in as a splash signing to help replace those guys, and now it looks like he’ll be shutdown as well. Ansah and the 49ers flirted for a while with a couple meetings taking place before the two sides finally agreed to a $3MM deal a couple of weeks ago. Picked fifth overall by Detroit in 2013, he had 12 sacks in 2017 but his past couple of seasons have been derailed by injuries.
He appeared in 11 games with the Seahawks last year, racking up only 2.5 sacks. He’ll be 32 in May and given his frequent recent health issues, will likely have a quiet market this offseason. He’ll almost certainly have to settle for a one-year prove it deal like he did this time.
With Dee Ford also on injured reserve, the 49ers are running out of pass-rushers. At risk of taking a backseat to the Seahawks and Rams in the division, it wouldn’t be surprising to see GM John Lynch make another move for a veteran in the coming weeks to try to give defensive coordinator Robert Saleh some reinforcements.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/3/20
Here are Saturday’s practice squad decisions:
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: DE Breeland Speaks
Miami Dolphins
- Signed: QB Jake Rudock
- Released: CB Javaris Davis
New England Patriots
- Signed: LB Michael Pinckney
- Released: DT Xavier Williams
New York Giants
- Signed: TE Eric Tomlinson
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Jamar Taylor
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/3/20
Here is Saturday’s bevy of minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: RB Jonathan Ward, CB Jace Whittaker
Baltimore Ravens
- Promoted: CB Khalil Dorsey
Buffalo Bills
- Waived: RB Antonio Williams
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from IR: CB Eli Apple
- Promoted: RB Reggie Bonnafon, LB Chris Orr
- Waived: DE Shareef Miller
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: QB Tyler Bray
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: LB Francis Bernard
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: OL K.C. McDermott, S Doug Middleton, K Aldrick Rosas
Las Vegas Raiders
- Promoted: WR Keelan Doss, RB Theo Riddick
Los Angeles Chargers
- Promoted: WR Tyron Johnson, OL Cole Toner
Los Angeles Rams
- Promoted: S JuJu Hughes
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: S George Iloka
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: OL Will Clapp, CB Ken Crawley, TE Garrett Griffin
- Placed on IR: LB Chase Hansen
New York Giants
- Promoted: WR Austin Mack
New York Jets
- Claimed (from Lions): RB Ty Johnson
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: DB Grayland Arnold, WR Deontay Burnett, WR Travis Fulgham, C Luke Juriga, RB Adrian Killins
- Placed on IR: CB Trevor Williams
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: LB Joe Walker
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Promoted: RB Kenjon Barner
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: G Joshua Garnett
49ers Activate Deebo Samuel From IR
Deebo Samuel is on track to be in action Sunday night. The 49ers are activating their No. 1 wide receiver ahead of his earliest possible return date.
Samuel suffered a Jones fracture in his foot in June, underwent surgery and landed on IR to start the season. While Kyle Shanahan has said the second-year wideout is working his way back into game shape, it appears he will have a role Sunday night against the Eagles.
Like the Eagles, the 49ers have been decimated by injuries. Samuel’s return will come in a game that will feature both Jimmy Garoppolo and starting running back Raheem Mostert inactive. But San Francisco will have its top two pass catchers — Samuel and George Kittle — in uniform.
Samuel broke out down the stretch last season, emerging as a dominant run-after-catch player for the 2019 NFC champions. He will work with Nick Mullens on Sunday night, with the 49ers’ QB2 set to make a second start.
The 49ers, however, placed two more key cogs — Dee Ford and Jordan Reed — on IR this week. That list has become quite crowded, though the 49ers have won two blowouts — over the struggling New York teams — amid this run of injury misfortune.