49ers’ initial 53-man roster announced, but more moves ahead before opener

The San Francisco 49ers announced their initial 53-man roster Sunday. Emphasis on initial. 

Among their moves, the 49ers placed Brett Toth, in line to be the backup center, on injured reserve but without a designation to return. This helped further explain their acquisition of an interior offensive lineman (Jarrett Patterson) via trade earlier in the day. Punter Corliss Waitman and long snapper Jon Weeks were among the players released, but as vested veterans, they could be re-signed as soon as Monday when additional injured players who did make the team get moved to injured reserve. And as a temporary remedy for a log-jammed linebacker room, seven were kept, more than they could be expected to actually roster on a given game-day.

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In other words, this is not the roster the team will feature in the Sept. 10 season opener in Australia against the Rams. The game of Tetris has only just begun. Plenty more shuffling will take place in the coming days.

Injury designations

Defensive end Mykel Williams (ACL), a presumed starter when healthy, and running back Isaac Guerendo (pec) were moved from the active/physically unable to perform list to the reserve/physically unable to perform list. This means they are both required to miss at least four games but don’t count against the active roster. 

Only players who opened training camp on active PUP can be placed on reserve PUP. And under a new NFL rule, Williams and Guerendo (on reserve PUP) could have their 21-day practice window opened as soon as Week 3 even though Week 5 would mark the earliest either could play in a game.

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Among a slew of other injured players, the 49ers placed four on IR by the cutdown deadline.

A maximum of two IR players could be designated to return Sunday. Wide receiver Christian Kirk (calf), an offseason depth signing, and offensive lineman Austen Pleasants (knee), a swing tackle who also repped at left guard during camp, were given that designation by the 49ers. It means Kirk and Pleasants can return after missing a minimum of four games, similar to those on PUP.

The 49ers also put two other players on IR who did not get a return designation, including Toth (concussion) and offensive lineman Nick Zakelj (undisclosed), effectively ending their seasons. This comes as a particular letdown for Toth, who when healthy seemed likely to be the backup center with some guard versatility as well.

Players with known injuries on the 53-man roster

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The reason the 49ers could confidently “cut” the only punter and long snapper on their roster was because both were vested veterans.

Players with four years of service or more are not subjected to the waiver wire, which means they have the freedom to sign with any team if released. As the 49ers did last year with former punter Thomas Morstead, it is a common practice to release a vested veteran on cutdown day and then re-sign him the next day when more room can be made on the roster by another IR placement or two. 

Remember: Only two players, max, can go to IR and be designated to return on cutdown day.

A total of 15 players on the initial 53-man roster have a known injury, including cornerback Renardo Green (hamstring), wide receiver Mike Evans (groin), safety Malik Mustapha (hamstring strain), wide receiver Jacob Cowing (groin), quarterback Kurtis Rourke (ribs), nickel back Upton Stout (hip flexor), nickel back Nate Hobbs (groin), fullback Kyle Juszczyk (finger), linebacker Nick Martin (hamstring), linebacker Luke Gifford (hamstring), offensive tackle Vederian Lowe (ankle), guard Dominick Puni (concussion), rookie defensive tackle Gracen Halton (ankle), rookie defensive end Romello Height (ankle) and defensive end Nick Bosa (soreness). 

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Head coach Kyle Shanahan noted a number of the aforementioned players could return to practice this week. Shanahan also considered Lowe, as an example, to be an injured reserve candidate after he missed most of camp with a high ankle sprain.

Surprise cut

Robert Jones was released despite being firmly in the mix at left guard for the better part of camp. Jones had missed the past couple of weeks with a calf injury. His departure leaves rookie Carver Willis and 2025 seventh-round draft pick Connor Colby as the two other candidates who repped at left guard this camp. 

Patterson is also capable of playing left guard, though offensive line coach Chris Foerster has previously voiced hesitation in starting his backup center at another position along the offensive line.

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Shanahan said after the preseason finale in Las Vegas that Willis was “making a push” to win the starting left guard job.

The youngsters

As predicted, rookie defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. was included on the initial roster. Thompson emerged as a promising depth piece during camp despite going undrafted out of Illinois. 

Along with Thompson, every member of the 49ers’ past two draft classes except for Junior Bergen (2025 seventh round) made it past Sunday’s cuts.

Martin, a 2025 third-round draft pick, was among those who appeared on the bubble. A crowded linebacker position group did not help. But the 49ers found a short-term remedy by keeping seven, an unusually high number for that position. Five is typical. Six is still doable. Expect movement there in the coming days as the 49ers rearrange what was essentially a rough draft of their actual 53-man roster, still to be revealed.

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Initial 52-man roster (pending the Patterson trade)

Quarterback (3): Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Kurtis Rourke
Running back/fullback (4): Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, Jordan James Kyle Juszczyk
Wide receiver (6): Mike Evans, De’Zhaun Stribling, Deebo Samuel, Demarcus Robinson, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins
Tight end (4): George Kittle, Jake Tonges, Luke Farrell, Brayden Willis
Offensive line (8): Trent Williams, Dominick Puni, Colton McKivitz, Jake Brendel, Carver Willis, Vederian Lowe, Connor Colby, Enrique Cruz Jr.
Defensive line (9): Nick Bosa, Osa Odighizuwa, Alfred Collins, Keion White, Sam Okuayinonu, CJ West, Gracen Halton, Romello Height, James Thompson Jr.
Linebacker (7): Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Jaden Dugger, Tatum Bethune, Garret Wallow, Luke Gifford, Nick Martin
Cornerback (6): Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Jack Jones, Ephesians Prysock, Nate Hobbs
Safety (4): Ji’Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle, Malik Mustapha, Siran Neal
Specialist (1): K Eddy Piñeiro

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This article originally published at 49ers’ initial 53-man roster announced, but more moves ahead before opener.