49ers release WR to make room for TE Jordan Matthews

Jordan Matthews is officially on the #49ers’ roster as a TE. The team released WR Bennie Fowler to make room.

The 49ers on Saturday officially announced the addition of TE Jordan Matthews to their 90-man roster. To make room for the former wide receiver, San Francisco released WR Bennie Fowler.

The Matthews signing was reported by NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo on Friday. Matthews spent part of the previous two seasons in the Bay Area as a wide receiver. Over the offseason he added weight and attended George Kittle’s Tight End University in an attempt to revive his NFL career. At just 29-years old Matthews will have a legitimate chance to carve out a second half of his career at his new position.

Fowler signed with the 49ers in the offseason after spending last season with the Saints. Prior to that he was with the Giants for two years and the Broncos for three. The emergence of Mohamed Sanu and Jalen Hurd’s return from a torn ACL have added a layer of depth to the WR competition that made a receiver at the back end of the roster expendable.