The San Francisco 49ers will finalize their roster this afternoon, but as Kyle Shanahan said, “Never in the history of football has the final 53 been the final 53.”
The Niners front office will keep a close eye on the players being released around the NFL. The depth at center, pass rusher, tight end, and safety could all stand to improve. The same could be said for linebacker.
Let’s look at some cuts that happened on Tuesday:
The #Vikings are planning to release DT James Lynch, source said. The former fourth rounder will likely be back on the practice squad if he clears waivers.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 27, 2024
The fourth-round draft pick from 2020 missed all of 2023 with a torn ACL. He also missed the final two games of 2022 with a shoulder injury. He can hold up against the run and plays hard, so the 49ers might find Lynch as an intriguing option while Kalia Davis recovers.
Old friend alert: Adrian Colbert has been released.
Some notable veteran defensive backs are being released: Bobby McCain of the Vikings, Desmond King of the Texans, and Adrian Colbert of the Bears.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 27, 2024
Colbert could be brought back for special teams purposes if the 49ers plan on placing safety Talanoa Hufanga on the PUP.
Veteran edge rusher Carl Lawson was released by the Dallas Cowboys:
The Cowboys have released veteran DE Carl Lawson, who joined them late in training camp, per sources. Could potentially return to the practice squad. There was no guaranteed money in the one-year deal he signed.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) August 27, 2024
Lawson is two years rmoved from an Achilles tear. After a back injury in training camp, he only appeared in six games with the New York Jets in 2023, playing 101 snaps. In 2022, Lawson had seven sacks and 12 tackles for loss with the Jets.
Some notable names were released at wide receiver—Allen Robinson, Terrace Marshall, and Andy Isabella—but I’m not sure either of them would be upgraded over what’s currently on the 49ers’ roster.
Hendershot was in line to start for Dallas at tight end before suffering an injury that sidelined him during camp and caused him to miss the first two preseason games, which is why he fell to third on the depth chart. He’s a player the Niners should have their eyes on.
The Jacksonville Jaguars released former first-round pick Terrell Edmunds. He’s bounced around the league and would be a special team signing.
Additionally, the Washington Commanders released 2023 fifth-round pick KJ Henry. A solid defensive end out of Clemson, he could be good depth for the 49ers off waivers if he makes it to their spot.
