Broncos Trim Roster To 53
The Denver Broncos made a slew of moves today to get down to 53 players. Notably, the team will place rookie second-round quarterback Drew Lock on injured reserve, meaning he’ll have to miss at least the first eight games of the season as he recovers from his thumb injury. The team cut journeyman Kevin Hogan and UDFA Brett Rypien, leaving them without a quarterback behind Joe Flacco. GM John Elway has said they’ll sign a veteran to backup Flacco for now, and we’ve already heard they’re interested in Brian Hoyer.
There weren’t too many surprises that we didn’t already know of. Brendan Langley, a 2017 third-round pick, failed to make the team. He was drafted as a cornerback, but switched to receiver earlier this offseason after he didn’t pan out on defense.
Here’s the full list of other moves:
Waived:
FB George Aston
T Quinn Bailey
WR Trinity Benson
OL Jake Brendel
WR Fred Brown
LB Jamal Carter
WR Steven Dunbar Jr.
OLB Ahmad Gooden
RB Devontae Jackson
CB Trey Johnson
G/C Sam Jones
OL Tyler Jones
T John Leglue
DL Deyon Sizer
CB Linden Stephens
Broncos Sign WR Steven Dunbar Jr.
The Broncos have signed wide receiver Steven Dunbar Jr., according to an announcement from the team. Dunbar takes the spot of Aaron Burbridge, who retired just before the start of training camp. 
[RELATED: Broncos, Drew Lock Agree To Deal]
Dunbar signed with the Niners last year after going undrafted out of the University of Houston. He spent the bulk of the year on the practice squad, but was promoted to the varsity squad for the final game of the 2018 season.
Dunbar may be facing an uphill climb on a WR depth chart that also includes Courtland Sutton, Emmanuel Sanders, DaeSean Hamilton, River Cracraft, Tim Patrick, and fifth-rounder Juwann Winfree. Still, Dunbar may have one advantage as an ex-49er who has familiarity with Rich Scangarello‘s system.
Minor NFL Transactions: 4/29/19
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Waived: C Kyle Friend
Denver Broncos
- Signed: K Taylor Bertolet (AAF)
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: OL Nico Siragusa, DB Jason Thompson
Kansas City Chiefs
- Waived: C Tejan Koroma
Los Angeles Rams
- Signed: OL Jeremiah Kolone
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: WR Steven Dunbar, DB Godwin Igwebuike, CB Tarvarus McFadden, LB James Onwualu, WR Jordan Smallwood, P Justin Vogel, S Terrell Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- K Phillip Anderson, LB Riley Bullough, DE Hunter Dimick, P Hayden Hunt, DE Nick Thurman
Tennessee Titans
- Waived: NT Darius Kilgo
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/26/18
Here are today’s minor moves:
Houston Texas
- Signed: LB Tyrell Adams
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted from practice squad: WR Steven Dunbar
Washington Redskins
- Signed: LB Marquis Flowers
Sunday NFL Transactions: NFC West
Listed below are the Sunday roster moves for the four NFC West teams. Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline yesterday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters, claiming players off waivers or signing guys who clear waivers. Those transactions for the Cardinals, Rams, 49ers, and Seahawks are noted below.
Additionally, as of 12:00pm CT today, teams can begin constructing their 10-man practice squads. You can check out our glossary entry on practice squads to brush up on those changes, as well as all the other guidelines that govern the 10-man units, whose players practice with the team but aren’t eligible to suit up on Sundays.
Here are Sunday’s NFC West transactions, which will continue to be updated throughout the day:
Arizona Cardinals
Signed:
- DE Zach Moore
Claimed:
Cut:
- OL Evan Boehm
- T Will Holden
- DE Vontarrius Dora (injured)
- S A.J. Howard (injured)
Practice squad:
- RB Elijhaa Penny
- OL Will House
- DE Alec James
- QB Charles Kanoff
- DT Pasoni Tasini
- WR Jalen Tolliver
- TE Andrew Vollert
Los Angeles Rams
Practice squad:
- DB Dominique Hatfield*
- TE Temarrick Hemingway*
- WR Khadarel Hodge
- G Jeremiah Kolone
- TE Henry Krieger-Coble
- WR Steven Mitchell
- DB Steven Parker
- QB Luis Perez
- DB Ramon Richards
San Francisco 49ers
Signed to practice squad:
- WR Steven Dunbar
- TE Ross Dwelley
- CB Emmanuel Moseley
- QB Nick Mullens
- DB Tyvis Powell
- DL Niles Scott
- LB Pita Taumoepenu
- OL Najee Toran
- RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
Seattle Seahawks
Claimed:
Cut:
- DL Branden Jackson
- OL Rees Odhiambo
* = practice squad exception
49ers Cut 21 Players, Reach 53-Man Max
The 49ers have reached the 53-man roster maximum after releasing 21 players on Saturday afternoon. Here’s the full rundown:
The following players have been released:
- DL Jeremiah Attaochu
- WR Aaron Burbridge
- G Jonathan Cooper (story)
- WR Steven Dunbar Jr.
- TE Ross Dwelley
- DB Antone Exum Jr.
- TE Cole Hikutini
- FB Malcolm Johnson
- OL Andrew Lauderdale
- DB Dexter McCoil
- CB Tavarus McFadden
- RB Jeremy McNichols
- CB Emmanuel Moseley
- QB Nick Mullens
- DB Tyvis Powell
- DL Niles Scott
- OL Coleman Shelton
- LB Pita Taumoepenu
- LB Korey Toomer
- OL Najee Toran
- RB Jeff Wilson Jr.
In addition to those cuts, the Niners also have a few extra spots on their initial 53-man roster thanks to suspensions for wide receiver Victor Bolden and linebacker Reuben Foster. They’ll also be without defensive lineman Kentavius Street as he sits on the NFI list.
49ers Sign 13 Undrafted Free Agents
The 49ers have announced the signing of the following 13 undrafted college free agents:
- Steven Dunbar, WR (Houston)
- Ross Dwelley, TE (San Diego)
- Corey Griffin, S (Georgia Tech)
- Jack Heneghan, QB (Dartmouth)
- Alan Knott, OL (South Carolina)
- Tarvarus McFadden, CB (Florida State)
- Jamar McGloster, OL (Syracuse)
- Emmanuel Moseley, CB (Tennessee)
- Niles Scott, DL (Frostburg State)
- Coleman Shelton, OL (Washington)
- Najee Toran, OL (UCLA)
- Terrell Williams, S (Houston)
- Jeff Wilson, RB (North Texas)
McFadden was clearly a high post-draft priority for the 49ers, as the club handed the ex-Seminole largest known guarantee among undrafted free agents league-wide. He’ll receive a $20K signing bonus and a $70K base salary guarantee, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link). While each NFL team is allowed to distribute roughly $100K in signing bonus to UDFAs, there is no limit as on base salary guarantees.
McFadden played in 13 games for Florida State in both 2016 and 2017, and earned All-ACC honors during his sophomore campaign. A former five-star recruit, McFadden has a long frame that helps him excel in press coverage, per Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.