49ers trim roster to 80 players, place Mychal Kendricks on IR

The 49ers completed their second wave of cuts to get closer to the 53 man roster, including placing recently added linebacker Mychal Kendricks on injured reserve.

The San Francisco 49ers are one step closer to naming their Week 1 53-man roster for the 2021 season.

As with the other 31 teams across the league, who had until Tuesday, Aug. 24 at 4 p.m. ET to get their preseason rosters down from 85 players to 80, the Niners engineered some roster moves to meet the specific objective.

49ers released the following players

• DL Shilique Calhoun
• CB B.W. Webb

Webb, a recently added veteran, was responsible for allowing a touchdown during San Francisco’s preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs. In the wake of rookie fifth-round corner Deommodore Lenoir’s impressive performance over two exhibition games, Webb being dismissed isn’t much of a surprise.

49ers waive two additional players

• WR River Cracraft
• OL Corbin Kaufusi

Kaufusi had his share of difficulties during action in Week 2 of the preseason against the Los Angeles Chargers, but it’s no big surprise he’s let go.

Read More: 5 bubble players who earned spot on 49ers 53-man roster

Cracraft, meanwhile, could have been a dark-horse candidate to crack the back end of the wide receiver depth chart, although it’s a crowded bunch, and his return skills weren’t enough to merit placement alone.

49ers put LB Mychal Kendricks on injured reserve

Another one of the Niners’ recently added players, veteran linebacker Mychal Kendricks, found himself removed from Sunday’s game against the Chargers after suffering a turf-toe injury.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan later confirmed the injury and suggested Kendricks would miss a month, along with defensive lineman Maurice Hurst, who suffered a high-ankle sprain.

The fact Hurst wasn’t designated for IR suggests he might be closer to returning than Kendricks, although the updated three-week minimum short-term IR also could indicate San Francisco’s interest in keeping him around into the regular season and not subjecting him to being plucked from another team.

Either way, the 49ers seem to be at the same point once again, thin at their linebacker depth, which could be a focal point once the regular season starts.

The next wave of roster cuts will be the final one down to 53 players, which will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 31 at 4 p.m. ET.