49ers Place S Jaquiski Tartt On IR
THURSDAY: Shanahan confirmed the team expects Tartt to miss the rest of the season due to turf toe. Tartt is set to be a 2021 free agent.
WEDNESDAY: The 49ers’ injured reserve list will house another starter for the time being. The team placed safety Jaquiski Tartt on IR on Wednesday.
Despite being questionable to suit up for Week 9 with a groin injury, Tartt played in the 49ers’ loss to the Packers. But he left the game because of a foot issue and will now miss at least three weeks.
San Francisco has used Tartt as a first-string safety for most of his career. The 2015 second-round pick has started under three 49ers head coaches. Although the Trent Baalke regime selected Tartt, he signed an extension during the John Lynch–Kyle Shanahan era.
Injuries have been an issue for Tartt throughout his career, however. He landed on IR in 2017 and ’18 and missed four games during the 49ers’ most recent NFC championship season. This year, he follows numerous 49ers in being forced to miss extensive time due to injury.
Tartt will join Nick Bosa, Richard Sherman, George Kittle, Jimmy Garoppolo, Dee Ford and Raheem Mostert as key 49ers on IR. Centers Weston Richburg and Ben Garland, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel, are also currently unavailable. Though, Samuel is not on an injured list.
The 49ers promoted running back Austin Walter to take Tartt’s place on their 53-man roster.
49ers Not Guilty Of Protocol Violation
- Kendrick Bourne‘s positive test decimated the 49ers‘ receiving corps last week, but an NFL investigation found the team to be compliant with COVID-19 protocols. They will not be punished, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. As for Bourne, he has endured a complicated several days. After testing negative twice and being removed from the 49ers’ reserve/COVID-19 list, he tested positive again and was back on it Monday. He has tested negative this week, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. If Bourne were cleared to make the trip to New Orleans, he would do so after missing most or all of this week’s 49ers practices.
49ers, Browns, Raiders Put In Claims For Takk McKinley
The Bengals’ 2-5-1 record aided them Wednesday, with Takk McKinley now Cincinnati-bound after a waiver claim. Other suitors were ready to pounce if the Bengals did not make a claim.
The 49ers, Browns and Raiders submitted claims for McKinley, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. This comes after McKinley curiously tweeted the Falcons declined trade offers for him. The Browns were one of the teams to discuss a McKinley trade with the Falcons, per SI.com’s Albert Breer (on Twitter).
McKinley would have been thrust into the AFC playoff race had he landed in Cleveland or Las Vegas. The Browns eyed Jadeveon Clowney for months, submitting what was believed to be a strong offer for the high-profile edge rusher, but instead reworked Olivier Vernon‘s contract and ran back the Vernon-Myles Garrett tandem. McKinley would have joined ex-Falcons teammate Adrian Clayborn as an auxiliary pass rusher in Cleveland.
Although the Raiders have seen Maxx Crosby play well after arriving as a fourth-round pick, the team has not seen much production from No. 4 overall selection Clelin Ferrell. The Raiders were also in the Clowney mix. Only Crosby (five sacks) has registered more than one sack among Raiders, and the team’s nine QB drops rank 31st.
Injuries have depleted the 49ers’ once-formidable defensive line. They are without Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas for the season, and Dee Ford is not certain to return in 2020. McKinley, who recorded 13 sacks between the 2017-18 seasons, has one in four games this year. The 2017 first-round pick does have seven QB hits in abbreviated time (85 defensive snaps) this season, however.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 11/10/20
Here are the NFL’s recent practice squad moves:
Baltimore Ravens
- Signed: Nate Brooks, T R.J. Prince
Carolina Panthers
- Activated from practice squad injured list: RB Reggie Bonnafon
- Signed: DT Woodrow Hamilton
- Released: K Taylor Bertolet, DT Mike Panasiuk
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Eric Kush, QB Kyle Sloter
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: CB Stephen Denmark, TE Kyle Markway, C Javon Patterson
- Released: C Evan Brown, T Timon Parris, CB Prince Smith
- Placed on practice squad injured list: WR Ryan Switzer
Denver Broncos
- Signed: TE Troy Fumagalli, C Jon Halapio
Detroit Lions
- Signed: TE Khari Lee
Houston Texans
- Signed: LB Curtis Bolton, LB Kendall Futrell
- Released: WR Devin Smith
- Placed on practice squad injured list: LB Davin Bellamy
Las Vegas Raiders
- Signed: WR Rico Gafford, S Rashaan Gaulden
Los Angeles Rams
- Released: C Cohl Cabral
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: CB Cordrea Tankersley
New England Patriots
- Signed: TE Dylan Cantrell, TE David Wells
- Released: DT Ryan Glasgow
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: DT Treyvon Hester
- Released: RB Adrian Killins
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: WR Chris Finke
Seattle Seahawks
- Released: DE DeMarkus Acy
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: DL Miles Brown, CB Greg Mabin, OL Daniel Munyer, K Giorgio Tavecchio
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/10/20
We’ve got a long list of all the minor transactions from the last day or so:
Arizona Cardinals
- Waived: CB De’Vante Bausby
Atlanta Falcons
- Promoted: LB Edmond Robinson
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DT Anthony Rush
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: Deon Bush, Lachavious Simmons
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: DL Margus Hunt
Denver Broncos
- Claimed off waivers from Cardinals: CB De’Vante Bausby
Detroit Lions
- Placed on IR: CB Tony McRae
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Jarrad Davis
Green Bay Packers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: QB Jordan Love, LB Kamal Martin, RB Jamaal Williams
Houston Texans
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Dylan Cole, LB Whitney Mercilus, G Max Scharping
- Placed on IR: LB Kyle Emanuel, LB Brennan Scarlett
- Claimed off waivers from Washington: DE Nate Orchard
Indianapolis Colts
- Waived: DL Ron’Dell Carter
- Promoted: WR DeMichael Harris
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/PUP list: T Martinas Rankin
- Waived: DE Demone Harris
Los Angeles Rams
- Waived: LB Natrez Patrick
Minnesota Vikings
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: LB Todd Davis
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: LS Austin Cutting
- Waived/failed-physical: LB Ben Gedeon
- Placed on IR: DB Holton Hill
New England Patriots
- Claimed off waivers from Cardinals: TE Jordan Thomas
- Waived: LB Cassh Maluia
- Placed on IR: TE Dalton Keene
New York Giants
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Will Hernandez
- Waived: CB Corey Ballentine
New York Jets
- Activated off NFI list: CB Bryce Hall
- Waived: QB Mike White
- Placed on IR: TE Trevon Wesco
San Francisco 49ers
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Kendrick Bourne
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Jeff Badet
- Waived: WR Tony Brown
2020 NFL Cap Space, By Team
The trade deadline is in the rear view mirror, but teams are still keeping a watchful eye on their salary cap figures. For contenders, the available dollars can be used for late-season signings. For all clubs, a portion of the unspent dollars can be rolled over into future seasons, giving them a larger budget to work with in the first wave of free agency.
Here are the most recent figures for each team, via Over The Cap:
- Cleveland Browns – $31MM
- New York Jets – $30.4MM
- Dallas Cowboys — $28MM
- Jacksonville Jaguars– $26.3MM
- Philadelphia Eagles– $23.9MM
- Washington Football Team – $23.3MM
- New England Patriots – $21.8MM
- Denver Broncos – $19.8MM
- Miami Dolphins – $15.6MM
- Detroit Lions – $14.2MM
- Cincinnati Bengals– $12.3MM
- Indianapolis Colts – $10.7MM
- Los Angeles Chargers — $8.4MM
- New York Giants – $8MM
- Chicago Bears – $7.6MM
- Houston Texans – $7.5MM
- Los Angeles Rams – $6.9MM
- Pittsburgh Steelers – $6.9MM
- Green Bay Packers – $6.7MM
- Arizona Cardinals– $6.2MM
- New Orleans Saints – $6MM
- Las Vegas Raiders – $6MM
- Kansas City Chiefs – $5.7MM
- Carolina Panthers – $5.5MM
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers – $5.3MM
- Tennessee Titans – $4.6MM
- Minnesota Vikings – $3.8K
- San Francisco 49ers – $3.7MM
- Seattle Seahawks – $3.3MM
- Baltimore Ravens – $3.3MM
- Buffalo Bills – $3MM
- Atlanta Falcons – $1.8MM
Injury Updates: T. Brown, Garoppolo, Clowney
Let’s round up a few injury-related items from around the league.
- Raiders OT Trent Brown is back on the reserve/COVID-19 list, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com says Brown is expected to miss at least a month of action (Twitter link).
- Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports confirms a report from several days ago that 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo will not require surgery on his injured ankle, but the 29-year-old signal-caller is expected to miss at least a month (Twitter link). The injury further clouds Garoppolo’s uncertain future in San Francisco.
- Titans edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney is out for today’s game against the Bears. He is dealing with a meniscus issue and may ultimately opt for surgery.
- The Browns have a bye this week, and next time they’re on the field, they hope to be rejoined by Pro Bowl running back Nick Chubb (Twitter link via Rapoport). Chubb has been dealing with an MCL injury, and though Kareem Hunt and D’Ernest Johnson have played reasonably well in his absence, getting Chubb back will be a big boost to Cleveland’s playoff push.
- Some may be wondering if WR Odell Beckham has already played his last game for the Browns, as he will miss the rest of the season with an ACL tear and has never really embraced Cleveland. Kim Jones of WFAN reports that OBJ will undergo surgery to repair the ACL on Tuesday (Twitter link).
- Ravens RB Mark Ingram left Baltimore’s game against the Eagles several weeks ago, and he still has not returned to action. Rapoport says Ingram is dealing with a high-ankle sprain (Twitter link), which explains the multi-week absence. Ingram has been ruled out for today’s game against the Colts, but younger backs Gus Edwards and J.K. Dobbins may be the better options anyway.
- When the Eagles return to their facility following this week’s bye, they expect to have RB Miles Sanders back, and they believe WR Alshon Jeffery will be a full participant in practice (Twitter link via Rapoport).
Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/20
Here are Friday’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: G Germain Ifedi
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: C Cody Whitehair (story)
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: T Fred Johnson, CB Trae Waynes; Waynes remains on IR
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: DT Chris Jones
Miami Dolphins
- Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list: RB Lynn Bowden
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: LB Hercules Mata’afa
- Placed on IR: CB Mark Fields
New Orleans Saints
- Placed on IR: WR Justin Hardee, DT Sheldon Rankins (story)
New York Giants
- Placed on IR: DB Ryan Lewis
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated from reserve/COVID-19 list: WR Brandon Aiyuk, WR Kendrick Bourne, WR Deebo Samuel, T Trent Williams (story)
49ers To Sign Josh Johnson
The 49ers are set to sign quarterback Josh Johnson, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic (on Twitter). Once he clears COVID-19 protocols, Johnson will be added to the club’s practice squad. 
[RELATED: 49ers’ Bourne Tests Negative]
Johnson, 34, was last seen with the Los Angeles Wildcats of the XFL. Before the season even started, the veteran had an offer on the table from the Lions. However, the XFL stepped in and blocked him from that deal. Over the years, Johnson has signed deals with 13 different teams. That includes multiple stints with the 49ers in 2012 and 2014.
Now, he’ll backstop a QB room that has been without starter Jimmy Garoppolo for weeks. On that front, the Niners got some good news — doctors are not currently recommending surgery to fix his ankle injury and the hope is that he can return before the season is through. For the time being, he’ll remain on IR.
Nick Mullens served as the 49ers’ starter on Thursday against the Packers with C.J. Beathard as the QB2. After Mullens forced some bad throws, it’s possible that the depth chart could be reshuffled between now and their next game against the Saints.
49ers’ Kendrick Bourne Tests Negative
49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is now eligible to return. After his COVID-19 positive on Wednesday, Bourne has received two consecutive COVID-19 negatives (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo). In addition, fellow wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel have also been the greenlight, along with left tackle Trent Williams. 
Bourne was one of several 49ers players held out of Thursday night’s game due to protocols. Playing shorthanded, the Niners lost 34-17. Bourne’s latest results seem to point to a false positive on the first test, and his camp is predictably miffed.
“It’s frustrating because Kendrick has been really responsible with everything,” agent Henry Organ said. “He’s taken COVID-19 very seriously. It’s not a joke to him.”
Through eight games this year, Bourne has caught 25 passes for 352 yards and one touchdown. His last outing was his best yet — Bourne registered eight grabs for 81 yards against the Seahawks, making the most out of his ten targets.
With their roster largely restocked, Bourne and the 49ers will turn their attention to the Saints, following their bye week.