5 players SF 49ers should purge off other teams’ practice squads
By Peter Panacy
The SF 49ers are running into depth problems in 2020, and it wouldn’t hurt to purge players from other teams’ practice squads out there.
Week 5 was a case study for why the SF 49ers need to be more concerned about their depth just after the first-quarter mark of the 2020 season.
During the Niners’ lopsided home loss to the Miami Dolphins, cornerback Brian Allen was torched regularly by Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Allen, who hadn’t played since 2018 and was only recently promoted from the practice squad, didn’t stand a chance in his first-ever pro-level start.
Needless to say, Allen’s tenure on San Francisco’s practice squad is likely to come to a very quick end.
But that doesn’t mean general manager John Lynch must avoid scouring other teams’ practice squads out there. Considering the global pandemic and the changes the NFL made to accommodate more players on the reserve unit, the SF 49ers could still sign away some players, including previously ineligible ones, to their active roster. As in previous years, teams can’t sign a player off another team’s practice squad and onto their own.
For the Niners’ case, though, injuries and attrition could make these five practice squad players on other teams likable signees by Lynch and Co. in the coming weeks.
SF 49ers Target No. 5: WR/KR Ryan Switzer, Cleveland Browns
An undiscussed problem the SF 49ers have had this season is who stands to return kicks and punts. Head coach Kyle Shanahan has trotted out running back Jerick McKinnon out there, embattled wide receiver Dante Pettis, slot receiver Trent Taylor and even tried practice squad receiver Kevin White in Week 5, albeit to little desired effect.
It might be a moot point once last year’s return specialist, Richie James returns from an offseason wrist injury. But even if that’s the case, San Francisco could stand for a little more explosion and consistency here.
Enter former Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers and current Cleveland Browns wide receiver/return specialist Ryan Switzer.
Switzer, 25 years old, has 63 kick returns and 67 punt returns over his three-year career, averaging 21.8 and 8.0 return yards on each, respectively. Sure, the 5-foot-8 backup slot receiver isn’t overly explosive. But he’s been consistent in this regard, only not to be needed on Cleveland’s active roster.
Yet Switzer could provide that consistency the Niners have so far lacked in their return game, certainly at least until James comes back. Whenever that is.