49ers add familiar face on defensive line to practice squad

The 49ers added a player to their practice squad as the hunt for a Javon Hargrave replacement begins.

The San Francisco 49ers filled the empty spot on their practice squad on Wednesday.

Defensive lineman Shakel Brown is returning to San Francisco to join their practice squad a day after the club released veteran safety Tracy Walker III.

Brown was with the 49ers in camp and had a nice preseason. His return gives the team additional internal depth to help replace defensive tackle Javon Hargrave who is out for the season following a partial triceps tear in Week 3.

San Francisco added Brown in the offseason and he spent time with them in training camp and the preseason. He played 72 snaps across the 49ers’ three preseason contests. Brown was let go at final cuts.

He’s also been with the Tennessee Titans and has yet to make his NFL debut.

This signing gives the 49ers a trio of interior defensive linemen on their practice squad. Brown joins veteran T.Y. McGill and undrafted rookie Evan Anderson as potential Hargrave replacements.

It’ll be interesting to see how the 49ers manage that group. They may permanently elevate a player, but they could opt to rotate through them with standard practice squad elevations to see which player fits best on the defensive front.

Figuring out how to fill the void left by Hargrave is now atop the 49ers’ to-do list on defense, and now they have another internal option.

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49ers release veteran safety from practice squad

After six seasons with the Lions, Tracy Walker III was added to the 49ers practice squad before the start of the regular-season.

Before the San Francisco 49ers welcome in the New England Patriots on Sunday for a Week 4 contest, the team made a change to their practice squad. On Tuesday, the 49ers announced they’ve released defensive back Tracy Walker III from the practice squad.

After spending six seasons with the Detroit Lions, the veteran safety joined the 49ers during the 2024 offseason. Before the start of the regular-season, the 49ers added Walker III to the practice squad.

Via @49ers on Twitter:

With Talonia Hufanga back healthy, the 49ers’ depth chart at safety is packed with players like Ji’Ayir Brown, rookie Malik Mustapha and special teams ace George Odum.

Following Walker III’s release, the 49ers will have an opening on their practice squad.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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49ers officially add veteran OL to practice squad, release DE

The 49ers announced a practice squad swap on Wednesday.

The San Francisco 49ers traded out some internal defensive line depth for some offensive line depth.

In a practice squad move ahead of Wednesday’s practice, San Francisco signed veteran offensive lineman Chris Hubbard to the 17-man unit. To make room they released veteran DE Jonathan Garvin.

Hubbard was with the 49ers during the preseason and battled for the swing tackle job. He was let go and the team opted to bring back veteran Brandon Parker instead of Hubbard when they made some offensive line moves prior to Trent Williams’s return from his hold out.

Having Hubbard gives the 49ers quality OL depth on their practice squad. He joins Isaac Alarcon and undrafted rookie Drake Nugent on that portion of San Francisco’s roster.

Garvin’s release isn’t a huge surprise and it may bode well for Yetur Gross-Matos’s chances to play in Week 2. The 49ers elevated Sam Okuayinonu from the practice squad in Week 1 to provide depth while Gross-Matos missed the game with a knee sprain. If he can’t go in Week 2, Okuayinonu would be the likely replacement again with Garvin no longer on the club.

The 49ers added Garvin during the preseason when injuries started to hit their defensive line. He played 77 snaps across three preseason games, tallying three pressures and five run stops according to Pro Football Focus.

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49ers release WR from practice squad, add LB depth

More practice squad changes for the 49ers.

The San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday made a change to their practice squad ahead of their bonus practice. Thursday marks the start of the regular practice week.

On Tuesday the team signed linebacker DaShaun White to the practice squad and cleared a roster spot by releasing wide receiver Tay Martin.

White entered the NFL last year as an undrafted rookie with the Buffalo Bills. He spent parts of training camp with Buffalo and the Las Vegas Raiders. Prior to the NFL he played college football at the University of Oklahoma. In five seasons he posted 259 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, eight pass breakups and two interceptions.

He’s now the only linebacker on the practice squad.

Martin joined the 49ers as an undrafted rookie following the 2022 draft. He spent most of the last two years on the practice squad, but he did appear in three games mostly on special teams.

This preseason was rough for Martin and his chances to stick around on the practice squad dwindled with Trent Taylor and Terrace Marshall both joining that group.

Every practice squad addition the 49ers make will come with a release since they’re at their 17-player limit. This swap likely had to do with shoring up their internal LB depth ahead of regular practices opening Thursday.

The 49ers will begin their regular season slate Monday against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium.

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49ers practice squad moves may hint at good news for star offensive tackle

The 49ers made practice squad moves that come with some added intrigue given their high-profile holdout.

The San Francisco 49ers on Monday did some shuffling on their practice squad.

According to NBC Sports Bay Area’s Matt Maiocco, the 49ers officially signed defensive end Sam Okuayinonu to their practice squad. In a corresponding move they released offensive tackle Sebastian Gutierrez.

The potential Okuayinonu addition was first reported by the Athletic’s Matt Barrows shortly after San Francisco released Okuayinonu from their initial 53-man roster. It’s not a huge surprise they wanted him back given their lack of depth at defensive end – a position of major importance on that side of the ball.

He joins Alex Barrett and Jonathan Garvin as internal depth options at the DE spot. San Francisco may rely on someone from that group in Week 1 if Yetur Gross-Matos’s knee injury pushes him out of action.

While the DE position is important, Gutierrez’s release is perhaps the more notable of the two moves because it may signal confidence that Trent Williams’s holdout will end before the season opener.

The 49ers have Jaylon Moore and Colton McKivitz on their 53-man roster, but no additional offensive tackle depth. Internally they had Gutierrez and Isaac Alarcon on the practice squad, but now Alarcon is the only offensive tackle depth they have and he’s an international pathway player who has yet to make his NFL debut.

It’s hard to imagine the 49ers will want to go into a season opener with no depth at OT. Perhaps they envision elevating Alarcon from the practice squad. International pathway players can be elevated up to three times per season. However, given where we are on the calendar and the team’s ongoing negotiations with Williams, the Gutierrez release could signal that the 49ers are getting their star OT back and bolstering their depth as a result.

San Francisco has a bonus practice on Tuesday before getting to work with their normal practice schedule Thursday.

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49ers add familiar face at RB, former 2nd-round WR to practice squad

The 49ers now have a full practice squad.

The San Francisco 49ers officially have a full practice squad.

On Thursday they announced the signing of running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn and wide receiver Terrace Marshall to their 16-man practice roster. They’re now at 17 players, including Isaac Alarcon who’s with the club via the NFL’s international player pathway program.

Vaughn was with the 49ers during the preseason. He played only seven snaps in one exhibition contest this year. In that game he racked up 12 rushing yards on two carries.

He gives San Francisco some internal running back depth after undrafted rookie Cody Schrader was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Rams. Vaughn was a third-round pick of the Buccaneers in the 2020 draft. In four years with Tampa Bay he had 384 yards and two touchdowns on 102 carries.

Marshall is an interesting player. He was taken by the Carolina Panthers in the second round of the 2021 draft. Despite measurables that project a ton of upside, he never put it together with the Panthers. In 36 games he had 64 catches for 767 yards and one touchdown across three seasons.

The 49ers may want to see if they can squeeze any untapped potential out of him. He joins Tay Martin and Trent Taylor as receivers on the practice squad. San Francisco may be aiming for internal depth with so much uncertainty around Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall. If one or both aren’t available for the season opener it may force the 49ers to move their depth chart up where they would have a need for some special teams contributions at WR.

If San Francisco wants to make any more practice squad additions it will have to come with a corresponding move to drop a player since that portion of their roster is maxed out.

That could come into play soon. The Athletic’s Matt Barrows reported the 49ers are hoping to bring back defensive end Sam Okuayinonu who they waived Wednesday.

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49ers adding rookie QB to practice squad after good preseason showing

The former Wisconsin passer is set to join the 49ers practice squad.

Behind franchise passer Brock Purdy, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback depth chart includes Joshua Dobbs and Brandon Allen. On Tuesday, the 49ers waived the final member of the quarterback room, rookie Tanner Mordecai.

However, after a solid preseason campaign, Mordecai is one of the first pieces the 49ers are bringing back to Santa Clara to build their practice squad. According to Matt Barrows of The Athletic, the 49ers are planning to add Mordecai to the practice squad.

Via @mattbarrows on Twitter:

In the preseason finale against the Raiders, Mordecai finished with 59 yards on 2-of-4 passing. In his other preseason appearance against the Saints, Mordecai threw for 36 yards on 7-of-10 passing in the 49ers’ lone preseason win.

Mordecai played six seasons of college football, with three coming at Oklahoma and two at SMU. Mordecai played his final season of college football in the Big 10 with Wisconsin. Mordecai threw for 2066 yards and nine touchdowns in 10 games with the Badgers last season.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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RB promoted to 49ers active roster to complete series of roster moves

The #49ers on Thursday completed a series of roster moves that all tied together.

The 49ers on Thursday announced a couple of moves on the margins of their roster and practice squad. Running back Jeremy McNichols was promoted to the active roster, while defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth was officially added to the practice squad.

McNichols took the roster spot vacated by DT Kalia Davis, who was recently placed on IR with an ankle injury. The veteran RB was elevated from the practice squad for the team’s Week 14 game against the Seahawks, but he only contributed on six special teams snaps. He figures to continue helping on special teams when he’s active.

Stallworth’s addition was reported Thursday morning by his agent. The six-year veteran will give the 49ers some internal DT depth after injuries hit the position hard over the last couple weeks.

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49ers to add DL depth with veteran DT Taylor Stallworth on practice squad

The #49ers are adding some internal depth on the D-line with injuries stacking up:

The 49ers are adding some internal depth to their defensive line. According to agent Brett Tessler, San Francisco is signing former Titans defensive tackle Taylor Stallworth to their practice squad. It’s unclear what the corresponding move is since the team hasn’t officially announced the addition.

Stallworth’s addition comes on the heels of second-year DT Kalia Davis going on IR with an ankle injury, leaving the 49ers woefully short on bodies at defensive tackle. Javon Hargrave and Arik Armstead are both battling injuries heading into Week 16, leaving only Javon Kinlaw and Kevin Givens as the two healthy players at that position.

Veteran DT T.Y. McGill also resides on the practice squad and figures to see time on the active roster if the team is still dealing with injuries come Monday.

Stallworth since debuting with the Saints in 2018 has played in 58 games with two starts. He’s seen time on the field with New Orleans, Indianapolis, Houston, Kansas City and Tennessee. In his 58 games he has 52 tackles, seven tackles for loss, 14 QB hits and 4.5 sacks.

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49ers officially add CB Jason Verrett to practice squad

Jason Verrett is back with the 49ers.

The 49ers on Monday announced the addition of veteran cornerback Jason Verrett to their practice squad. They had one spot open on the practice squad after wide receiver Chris Conley was promoted Saturday.

Verrett has been a target of the 49ers for a few weeks and they finally came to a deal with the one-time Pro Bowler. There’s no immediate plan for him to join the active roster, and head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated their goal is to get him in the building and evaluate where he is physically before determining whether he’ll land a 53-man roster spot.

Injuries have derailed Verrett in virtually every season since he was selected by the Chargers in the first round of the 2014 draft. However, in 2015 when he played a career-high 14 games he was a Pro Bowler. And in 2020 when he played 13 games for the 49ers he played at a Pro Bowl level.

It’s unlikely the 49ers are relying heavily on Verrett given his injury history. He’s a strong, well-liked veteran presence though who should be helpful for San Francisco whether he suits up on a game day or not.

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