Minor NFL Transactions: 8/8/19
Today’s minor moves:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: WR Joe Walker
- Waived/injured: DB Josh Simmons
Cincinnati Bengals
- Placed on injured reserve: DT Niles Scott
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: TE Marcus Lucas
- Waived/injured: T Derrick Puni
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: DB Ibraheim Campbell
- Waived/injured: LB Kendall Donnerson
- Released: RB Corey Grant
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: DE Hunter Dimick
- Placed on injured reserve: CB Keith Reaser
Minnesota Vikings
- Waived: CB Terrence Alexander
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: RB Kerwynn Williams
- Waived: RB Matthew Dayes
New York Giants
- Placed on injured reserve: LB Mark McLaurin
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: CB Trevon Mathis
- Waived/injured: RB Ralph Webb
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: Jeremiah Valoaga
- Waived: WR Chris Thompson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: RB Xavier Turner
- Waived/injured: CB Davante Davis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: OL Salesi Uhatafe
- Placed on injured reserve: S D’Cota Dixon
49ers CB Jason Verrett To Miss Preseason
Rookie defensive end Nick Bosa isn’t the only 49er who will miss the 2019 preseason slate. San Francisco cornerback Jason Verrett will also miss this year’s exhibition season with an ankle injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters, including Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Shanahan indicated Verrett is dealing with an injury that’s similar to Bosa’s ankle issue. Earlier today, 49ers general manager John Lynch said that while Bosa doesn’t have a high ankle sprain, his injury does have “elements” of a high ankle sprain. Like Bosa, Verrett will sit out the preseason and then be re-evaluated before the regular season gets underway.
Verrett’s injury, of course, is especially concerning given the 28-year-old’s lengthy history of health questions. He’s only played in five total games over the past three seasons, with various injuries — including a torn ACL and a ruptured Achilles — ending his campaigns. Injuries have been such a detriment to Verrett’s career that he actually considered retiring before landing a one-year, $3MM deal with the 49ers this offseason.
Meanwhile, fellow 49ers cornerback K’Waun Williams will also be absent for the preseason after undergoing a knee scope, tweets Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Williams played 615 total snaps for San Francisco in 2018 while serving as the club’s primary slot corner.
49ers DE Nick Bosa To Miss Preaseason
49ers defensive end and No. 2 overall pick Nick Bosa will miss at least the preseason after suffering an ankle sprain, as general manager John Lynch told KNBR (Twitter link via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com).
Initial reports suggested Bosa’s sprain was a minor issue, but Lynch’s comments suggests that may not be the case. Lynch called the injury a “significant” sprain, and while he noted Bosa doesn’t have a full-blown high ankle sprain, the rookie pass-rusher’s injury does have “elements” of a high ankle sprain, which can often take a while to fully heal.
It’s unclear if Bosa will be ready for Week 1 of the regular season, and Lynch seemed unsure if the Ohio State will be available. “We won’t see in the preseason and we’ll go from there. … We’ll get him right and he’ll be a great player for a long time in this league,” Lynch said, via Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link).
Going without their first-round pick for any amount of time isn’t ideal, but the 49ers do have depth along their defensive line. If Bosa is forced to miss regular season action, Dee Ford, Arik Armstead, and Solomon Thomas would all likely see increased snaps along the edge.
Injury Updates: Bosa, Verrett
49ers fans will have to wait a bit until they see Nick Bosa in game action. NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reports (via Twitter) that the rookie defensive end was diagnosed with an ankle sprain. The second-overall pick had an MRI after leaving practice earlier today.
Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like the injury will linger into the regular season. Rapoport notes that Bosa might sit out the preseason as the team proceeds cautiously, but it doesn’t sound like his status for Week 1 is in doubt. The 49ers will be counting on the Ohio State product to be an every-down player from the get-go.
Meanwhile, Rapoport also reports (via Twitter) that 49ers cornerback Jason Verrett was diagnosed with a minor ankle sprain following a MRI. The veteran is likely day-to-day.
49ers' Solomon Thomas Working As DT
- Solomon Thomas has not lived up to his lofty draft status thus far, but the 49ers will try and capitalize on the former No. 2 overall pick’s interior-rushing talent. With Dee Ford and Nick Bosa now on the edge, Thomas has been rotating with defensive tackles DeForest Buckner at Arik Armstead, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area notes. Thomas saw the majority of his 644 49ers snaps last season on the edge. The Stanford product has just four sacks in two seasons.
TE Niles Paul Announces Retirement
Recently released by the 49ers, Niles Paul will no longer pursue a ninth NFL season. The free agent tight end announced his retirement on Tuesday via Instagram.
Paul signed with the 49ers in July but was quickly cut. Citing the toll football has taken on his body, the 29-year-old pass catcher will move on from the league.
“I was quickly reminded how taxing this game can be after only spending a week in camp,” Paul wrote. “Now it’s time to start listening to my body. There is no doubt in my mind that I’m still able to compete and make a 53 man roster somewhere but I’m not sure my body can handle it anymore.”
Mostly known for his lengthy run with the Redskins, Paul finished his career with 78 receptions for 954 yards and two touchdowns. The former Nebraska wide receiver spent seven seasons in Washington, being converted to tight end early in his career. He ended up playing more games (82) as a Redskins tight end than anyone this decade.
By far Paul’s best season came in 2014, when he caught 39 passes for 507 yards. That earned him a three-year Redskins deal. However, injuries followed in the years to come. Paul missed all of 2015 and returned to Washington’s IR list in November 2016. While Paul spent all of 2017 on the Redskins’ active roster, he suffered a concussion that season. The Jaguars placed Paul on IR in 2018 before releasing him.
Matt Breida A 49ers Kick-Return Option?
- Matt Breida may join Booker on the trade block, though that is not certain yet. The 49ers have one of the NFL’s deepest backfields, with Breida joining Tevin Coleman and Jerick McKinnon. It’s been posited the 49ers will not have room for all three on game days, considering Raheem Mostert was re-signed for his special teams ability. A way Breida (5.3 yards per carry last season) could see time will be as a kick returner, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area writes. Breida has only returned five NFL kicks, all coming in his 2017 rookie year.
49ers Release TE Niles Paul
Niles Paul‘s stint with the 49ers didn’t last long. The veteran tight end is being released by San Francisco, a source told Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
In a corresponding roster move, the team claimed tight end Daniel Helm off waivers from the Chargers. Paul had just been signed last week. The former Redskins and Jaguars tight end had a connection to head coach Kyle Shanahan from their time in Washington together, but the team clearly didn’t like what they saw from the Nebraska product during his brief time in camp.
Paul has spent eight years in the league, his first seven with the Redskins and then one in Jacksonville. By far his best season as a receiver came in 2014, when he had 39 catches for 507 yards. With Garrett Celek on the shelf, and looking likely to miss some regular season time, the 49ers have been looking for some tight end depth behind George Kittle.
Helm is the latest they’ll be taking a look at, a rookie undrafted free agent from Duke. He was never a huge receiving threat for the Blue Devils, gaining between 235 and 271 yards in each of his final three college seasons.
Phil Dawson Announces Retirement
Phil Dawson is calling it a career. On Thursday, the kicker announced that he is retiring from the NFL at the age of 44. 
Dawson was the second-oldest player in the NFL last year, behind only Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri. With the Cardinals, Dawson made 5-of-8 field goals and sank all of his extra points before going down with a hip injury.
Prior to that, Dawson spent most of his career with the Browns and also spent four years with the 49ers. Fittingly, his retirement press conference will take place in Cleveland, where he kicked for 14 seasons.
Dawson leaves the game with a Pro Bowl nod (2012) and a lifetime FG completion rate of 83.8%. His hip will get some well-deserved rest after 526 career attempted field goals and 305 career games.
Minor NFL Transactions: 7/27/19
Today’s minor transactions:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: RB A.J. Ouellette
- Waived: OT Ka’John Armstrong
Denver Broncos
- Signed: TE Moral Stephens
- Waived: P Justin Vogel
Green Bay Packers
- Claimed off waivers from Bengals: RB Darrin Hall
- Waived: OG Larry Williams
Houston Texans
- Waived: S A.J. Hendy
- Waived/injured: WR Isaac Whitney
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Amba Etta-Tawo
Philadelphia Eagles:
- Waived: DT Anthony Rush
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: DL Jordan Thompson
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB Jawuan Johnson
Tennesse Titans
- Signed: DB Jonathan Crawford