Yetur Gross-Matos

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/1/25

Here are today’s minor moves and practice squad callups for the ninth weekend of the NFL season:

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Chicago Bears

Cincinnati Bengals

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

The Steelers are getting Harrison back at a crucial time. Fellow linebacker Cole Holcomb has been ruled out this weekend with an illness — as has safety Chuck Clark, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network — and Harrison should be able to reinforce the group. He has plenty of experience playing next to starter Patrick Queen from their time together in Baltimore, so perhaps he’ll be able to step in and contribute right away.

The Chargers continue to see their running backs room plagued with injury. Haskins joins Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris on injured reserve. Johnson and Patterson will suit up tomorrow to provide some depth behind lone survivor Kimani Vidal.

With Terry McLaurin once again set to miss time, Burks, the newly signed p-squad addition, will make his Washington debut. Also a newly signed p-squad addition, Lewis will make his Denver debut this weekend. If he sees game time, 2025 will officially be Lewis’ 20th season in the NFL.

After missing the last three games, Gross-Matos appeared to be close to returning to play. According to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports, the 27-year-old re-injured his hamstring at practice on Thursday and will now miss another four games.

For Leota in New Orleans, Mosby in Green Bay, Sermon in Pittsburgh, Zakelj in San Francisco, and both Proche and Watkins in Tennessee, this Sunday will be their third and final standard gameday practice squad elevation on their current deals. In order to appear in any more games after this, their respective teams will need to sign them to the active roster.

Latest On 49ers’ Injuries

San Francisco is one of a few teams that have been bitten especially hard by the injury bug this season. Luckily, they’ve avoided the injury to their star running back that had everyone worried about to start the year, but in a crucial divisional matchup last night, the 49ers’ injury report ruled out five players, including the starting quarterback and three wide receivers.

San Francisco was able to pull out a victory in last night’s game despite the team that’s taken so many hits thus far taking a few more in Los Angeles. The successful trip saw injuries sustained by defensive tackles Kalia Davis, Yetur Gross-Matos, and rookie Alfred Collins, as well as rookie cornerback Upton Stout, according to Nick Wagoner of ESPN. The only one who appears to have gotten off easy is Stout, who avoided a high ankle sprain, just suffered a regular ankle sprain, and is currently day-to-day.

Davis, on the other hand, will require surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand. Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, the procedure was scheduled to take place today. There’s some thought that Davis could potentially miss as few as two games. As a defensive lineman, Davis doesn’t have too much use for the gripping mechanic of that appendage in a game, and some expect him to return to play with a club cast on his hand.

Gross-Matos had just come off his only full practice of the week as he worked his way back from a knee injury. While the knee seemingly held up last night, Gross-Matos is now set to miss time with a hamstring strain, which could mean a multi-week absence. The rookie, Collins, suffered a sprained knee. With the Thursday Night Football matchup allowing for a bit more time to recover before their next game, Collins may stand a chance at not missing time, depending on the severity of the sprain.

Lastly, while we knew that star tight end George Kittle would be eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 6 after being placed on list after the season opener, we’ve finally received some insight on a more specific timeline. Per Vic Tafur of The Athletic, head coach Kyle Shanahan informed the media that Kittle likely will not be able to make it back until at least Week 7. At best, this will limit the veteran in-line pass catcher to a five-game absence.

49ers Cut 25 Players, Set 53-Man Roster

The 49ers had some work to do to get down to their initial 53-man roster. The front office achieved that daunting task this afternoon, as the organization announced the following moves:

Released:

Waived:

Activated from active/PUP:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on reserve/NFI:

Placed on reserve/suspended:

Placed on IR (designated for return):

Placed on IR:

Punter Thomas Morstead was cut today, but it sounds like the veteran won’t be a free agent for long. Matt Barrows of The Athletic reports that Morstead is expected to re-sign with the organization. The 39-year-old spent the past two seasons with the Jets, including a 2023 campaign where he led the NFL in punts and punting yards.

Barrows also notes that Jacob Cowing made the initial roster but is expected to land on injured reserve as he nurses a hamstring injury. This could open the door for one of the team’s cut WRs to land back on the active roster. That grouping includes Russell Gage, who had more than 1,500 receiving yards for the Falcons between the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

Elsewhere on offense, Jeff Wilson‘s reunion with the 49ers proved to be short lived after he joined the organization earlier this month. The veteran spent the past two-plus seasons in Miami, but he had a successful run in San Francisco to begin his career. This included a 2020 campaign where he compiled 733 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns.

NFL Injury Updates: Fisher, 49ers, Samuel

Texans right tackle Blake Fisher is dealing with a mild ankle sprain that will sideline him for an indeterminate amount of time, according to KRPC2’s Aaron Wilson.

Fisher suffered the injury in last Saturday’s preseason matchup against the Panthers and missed practice this week. His absence, if it extends into the regular season, will add another wrinkle to Houston’s plans at tackle.

The Texans already overhauled the position this offseason. They traded Laremy Tunsil to the Commanders and replaced him by aqcuiring Cam Robinson from the Vikings. Houston also signed veteran Trent Brown in free agency and drafted Aireontae Ersery in the second round of April’s draft. Along with Fisher and Tytus Howard, who combined to play every snap at right tackle in 2024, the Texans have a variety of options on either end of their offensive line.

Robinson returned to the field this week after missing a few practices with a minor leg injury. He has been splitting first-team LT reps with Ersery. The rookie has been cross-training at right tackle as well, but only lined up on the blind side during the preseason. With Brown still on the physically unable to perform list, Howard has been playing right tackle in camp and sat out both preseason games, suggesting he will start in Week 1. Fisher started both preseason games at right tackle; if his ankle has recovered by the start of the regular season, he’ll likely be the Texans’ swing tackle.

As teams prepare to finalize their initial 53-man rosters by the Tuesday deadline, here is the latest from the injury front:

NFL Minor Transactions: 7/18/25

Here are today’s minor NFL transactions as we head into the weekend:

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

San Francisco 49ers

The Lions have added three players to the roster today after a working them out. Bootle has had a cup of coffee with a few teams in the league after going undrafted in 2021. Small didn’t see the field at all as an undrafted rookie with the Titans last year, and Russell becomes the latest undrafted rookie free agent to sign a deal this year. His tenacity has been rewarded two and a half months after the draft.

49ers Rumors: CMC, Kittle, Williams, Dobbs

After shaking off injury trouble for two seasons, en route to staking a claim as the NFL’s best running back, Christian McCaffrey saw two issues create a lost season for him in 2024. The superstar back missed much of the season with an Achilles injury, and a PCL malady sustained in Buffalo sidelined him not long after he debuted. McCaffrey, who is going into his age-29 season, landed more guaranteed money via another market-setting extension (two years, $38MM), protecting himself for the 2025 season. The 49ers also expect their RB starter to be back by training camp and perhaps before, with John Lynch indicating (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) the ninth-year veteran will probably be ready for part of the team’s offseason program.

Not that McCaffrey needs to log much offseason participation, as this will be Year 4 for him in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense, but it would be an encouraging sign for a player who totaled only 50 carries last season. McCaffrey also saw injuries significantly limit him in 2020 and ’21 while in Carolina, but he played 17 games in 2022 and 16 in ’23, not missing any due to injury. The 49ers will hope the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year can return to that form in ’25.

Here is the latest out of San Francisco:

  • As another 49ers NFC title defense could not navigate a rash of injuries, Trent Williams became part of the unavailable contingent. The future Hall of Fame left tackle missed the final seven games of San Francisco’s season with an ankle injury. Lynch confirmed (via Barrows) what had been expected, indicating Williams will be back for a 16th NFL season. Williams can break the tackle record for Pro Bowl invites by booking a 12th in 2025, which will be his age-37 season. Thanks to the contract adjustment he received to end a holdout, Williams would have brought more than $50MM in dead money had he retired after the 2024 slate.
  • We heard Wednesday that the 49ers were talking not only with their top extension candidate, Brock Purdy, but with George Kittle as well. Staying mostly healthy over the course of his five-year, $75MM extension, the eight-year veteran — chosen in Lynch and Shanahan’s first draft — has put himself on the Hall of Fame radar. Lynch wants the star tight end to be a 49ers-only player during his career. “We want George to retire a Niner,” Lynch said. “He’s one of those guys — he’s a Niner through and through. So we want that to become a reality. I think the only thing on that is timing. And that’s no different than what I’ve told George and his agent.” The 49ers hammered out their first Kittle extension during training camp in 2020. Considering how this franchise usually conducts business, that is a timeframe to again monitor this year.
  • An either/or path at defensive end may form regarding Nick Bosa‘s wingmen. Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos are release candidates, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle writes. While Floyd has a track record as a sack artist, totaling at least nine each year from 2020-23, Gross-Matos received a surprising two-year, $18MM deal in 2024. The ex-Panthers second-rounder underwent in-season knee surgery and finished with four sacks in 11 games. That was a half-sack off his career high, however, but the 49ers having backloaded his deal would free up $7.82MM in a post-June 1 release. Using a post-June 1 designation on Floyd would free up $7.95MM in 2025 space but leave a bigger hole in the pass-rushing department. The 49ers have one June 1 move to make, as Javon Hargrave‘s release takes up the team’s other allotted slot.
  • Josh Dobbs threw for 326 yards and two touchdowns during a meaningless Week 18 loss to the Cardinals, likely helping his cause for another QB2 deal. After losing the backup job to Brandon Allen, however, Dobbs is unlikely to re-sign with the 49ers, per Branch. When asked about a potential re-signing, Dobbs said recently, “Free agency is free agency.” If Allen is to reprise his 49ers QB2 role, he will need to be re-signed.

49ers Activate Yetur Gross-Matos, Place Mitch Wishnowsky On IR

NOVEMBER 16: As anticipated, both moves have now officially been made. San Francisco has four IR activations remaining on the year. The team’s playoff push will include another stint with one specialist on the sidelines, although the 49ers will have the option of bringing Wishnowsky back before the end of the regular season.

NOVEMBER 15: The 49ers are expected to activate defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos and place punter Mitch Wishnowsky on injured reserve with a back injury, according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

Gross-Matos was placed on injured reserve on October 5 after suffering a knee injury that required surgery. He returned to practice on November 5 and is eligible to play against the Seahawks in Week 11. Wishnowsky will be sidelined for at least four weeks before he can be activated from IR.

Gross-Matos was a full participant in practice this week, but is still listed as questionable on the injury report since he has not officially been activated yet. The 49ers will be hoping Gross-Matos can play if Nick Bosa is sidelined with a hip injury, though he returned to practice on Friday after missing Tuesday and Wednesday. Bosa is questionable for Sunday’s game.

Wishnowsky’s injury leaves the 49ers down yet another specialist this year. Jake Moody missed a month with a high ankle sprain, and his replacement, Matthew Wright, landed on injured reserve with a shoulder injury. Anders Carlson then filled in for two games before Moody returned in Week 9.

The 49ers signed former Bears and Packers punter Pat O’Donnell to their practice squad on Wednesday as insurance for Wishnowsky’s back. He will likely be elevated for the game on Sunday, though the 49ers will need to make another move to promote him to the active roster since Gross-Matos will likely be taking Wishnowsky’s spot on the 53.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/6/24

Today’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Houston Texans

Minnesota Vikings

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Gross-Matos was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury on October 5, sidelining him for San Francisco’s last four games. He now has 21 days to practice with the team before he must be added back to the activ roster or revert to season-ending IR. He signed a two-year, $18MM contract with the 49ers in the offseason but struggled with his new team with just one tackle in 81 snaps across three appearances.

49ers Place DE Yetur Gross-Matos On IR

OCTOBER 7: Gross-Matos is unlikely to be ready when first eligible, with Kyle Shanahan confirming Monday (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) the free agent pickup underwent surgery that will sideline him for four to eight weeks.

OCTOBER 5: The 49ers’ defense has encountered another notable injury. Defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos was placed on injured reserve Saturday, per a team announcement.

A knee injury will keep the free agent pickup sidelined for at least the next four games. Gross-Matos was inactive for the season opener, but he handled a regular defensive workload during each of the following three games. His absence will compound the injuries San Francisco is already dealing with in the front seven in particular.

Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave is likely out for the remainder of the season due to a partial triceps tear. Along the edge, 2022 second-rounder Drake Jackson was shut down for 2024 back in August, after he was unable to recover from the knee injury which limited him to eight games last year. Jackson’s absence paved the way for Leonard Floyd and Gross-Matos to handle a notable workload in their respective debut 49ers campaigns.

The latter began his career in Carolina. He played out his rookie contract while spending time as both a base end and a stand-up outside linebacker. Gross-Matos served as a full-time starter in 2022, and his 4.5 sacks that year marked a career high. He inked a two-year, $18MM pact in free agency in a bid to return to a permanent starting role. The former second-rounder logged a 46% snap share without recording a sack in his first three San Francisco contests. It will be several weeks until he returns to action and has the opportunity to make more of a statistical impact.

In the meantime, Floyd will continue handle starting duties alongside Nick Bosa on the edge. Floyd also signed a two-year pact during the spring, and the 32-year-old came to the Bay Area with high expectations after logging at least nine sacks in each of the past four seasons. He has only registered one so far, but with Jackson and now Gross-Matos out of the picture the Bosa-Floyd tandem will be leaned on heavily in the pass-rush department. Notable production from those two would help the 49ers overcome at least some of their injury problems as they look to improve from a 2-2 start.

NFL Injury Updates: Hill, Horne, Cook, Magee, 49ers

As the preseason comes to a close, a number of teams experienced the scares of a worst-case scenario for most players: getting injured just before the team makes final roster decisions. Some ended up being that worst-case scenario, while others lucked out with minor ailments.

Texans safety Brandon Hill was one such player who experienced a worst-case scenario this weekend. In Houston’s final preseason game against the Rams, Hill suffered a significant knee injury, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The injury will be enough to end Hill’s 2024 season before it even got a chance to begin.

A seventh-round pick out of Pittsburgh last year, Hill only appeared in two games. With much of the same cast from last year returning in 2024, he wasn’t likely to see much more time on the field, but his loss thins out the team’s depth at safety and certainly ends his chances of being on the 53-man roster.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the NFL:

  • Per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, Giants defensive tackle Timmy Horne is also likely to miss the 2024 season. The third-year player out of Kansas State suffered a tear to his Achilles tendon that will keep him out for the year. Horne came to New York late last year after spending most of his first two seasons in the league with the Falcons. He started five games as an undrafted rookie in 2022 but has been a depth piece ever since.
  • The Steelers continue dealing with some bumps and bruises along the offensive line. After seeing rookie first-round tackle Troy Fautanu suffer an MCL sprain two weeks ago and center Nate Herbig tear his rotator cuff, the latest bump hits key reserve lineman Dylan Cook, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Pittsburgh picked Cook up after he was waived by the Buccaneers last offseason and, while he made the team’s final 53-man roster in 2023, he didn’t ever appear in a game. With the recent foot injury, it looks like Cook will have to wait several more weeks before he can make his NFL- and Steelers-debut.
  • Another player who avoided the worst-case scenario but who is set to miss a decent amount of time is Commanders middle linebacker Jordan Magee. According to John Keim of ESPN, the fifth-round rookie out of Temple had an MCL injury that required a “procedure.” It’s been confirmed that the injury is not season-ending and that he will return at some point this season. Washington has a bit of depth at linebacker, but Magee was the only player listed behind veteran Bobby Wagner in that Mike-role.
  • Lastly, we finally got an update on the MRI results of 49ers pass rushers Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos. Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reported late after Friday’s contest that the two had suffered knee sprains that didn’t result in ACL damage, but MRIs were scheduled for both players to be sure. The Athletic’s Matt Barrows was the one to provide an update today, claiming that, following the MRIs scheduled for yesterday, Floyd has been determined as day-to-day, while Gross-Matos will be week-to-week.