The San Francisco 49ers finally trimmed their roster to the 53-man limit on Saturday, and Niner Noise recaps all the action from these tough, tough decisions.
One day ago, the San Francisco 49ers had to start the process of whittling down their 90-man offseason roster to 53 players by the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Sept. 2.
You can read more on the first day of NFL roster cuts from the Niners here.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan entered the second day needing to make 18 moves in advance of the deadline.
Among the first moves, San Francisco cleared up a crowded defensive line, letting go of D-linemen Chris Jones and Quinton Dial.
Dial’s release was something of a surprise, as he has the versatility to line up all along the defensive front. Yet he was set to make $2.76 million in 2017 — a lot of money for a backup — and is better suited for a 3-4 scheme, not the 4-3 base the 49ers will run.
Here’s a list of the final San Francisco roster moves from Saturday, courtesy of the team’s website:
Final #49ers roster moves for the day. Team now stands at 53 players, but expect some fluctuation with new signees,releases. #NFLrostercuts pic.twitter.com/2wqdhvt8ZD
— Peter Panacy (@PeterPanacy) September 2, 2017
Wide Receiver Jeremy Kerley Released
Another somewhat surprising move was seeing wide receiver Jeremy Kerley released.
Kerley, who recently signed a three-year deal with the Niners after leading the team in receptions (64) and receiving yards (667) in 2016, was pushed out of a roster spot by the emergence of rookies Trent Taylor and Victor Bolden Jr.
Both Taylor and Bolden offer some explosiveness on special teams too. That likely factored into the decision as well.
Running Back Joe Williams on IR
Fans will have to wait until 2018 to see rookie running back Joe Williams make an impact.
Williams (ankle) landed on season-ending injured reserve, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay area, who later tweeted Williams was dealing with the injury but it wasn’t serious:
He was icing his left ankle in locker room after Thurs game. “It’s just a little sprain. Nothing serious. It’s something I’ve been nursing." https://t.co/aLrQY0Dzm1
— Matt Maiocco (@MaioccoNBCS) September 2, 2017
It’s an interesting development for Williams, who dealt with numerous fumbling issues during training camp and the preseason. These problems certainly influenced the Niners’ decision to redshirt him his rookie year.
Oh, and the emergence of runners Matt Breida and Raheem Mostert didn’t help Williams’ chances either.
This and That
Maiocco also reported second-year defender Ronald Blair (thumb) will likely start the season out on short-term IR, meaning he would be eligible to return as soon as Week 7.
Defensive back Asa Jackson was another name on the cut list. He had two interceptions during San Francisco’s final preseason game against the Los Angeles Chargers, which certainly helped his chances.
But Jackson was also a bit of a liability in coverage, and those two picks certainly weren’t enough.
Players like tight end Cole Hikutini and offensive linemen Darrell Williams Jr. and J.P. Flynn should earn strong consideration for the practice squad, if they clear waivers. The same goes for quarterback Nick Mullens.
Next: Recapping day two of 49ers 53-man roster cuts
Expect some changes to the 53-man roster over the next day or two, as the Niners may target recently released players, forcing additional roster moves.