49ers claim nephew of Chargers Hall of Fame running back

The 49ers grabbed Tre Tomlinson off waivers from the Rams, and you might have heard of his uncle.

The San Francisco 49ers aren't expected to be overly aggressive on the free-agent market this offseason.

But that won't stop them from making under-the-radar moves, especially if it involves plucking players away from rival teams.

The Friday before the start of the league new year, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Niners had claimed former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Tre Tomlinson off waivers:

If you haven't heard much about Tomlinson, that's understandable. He spent all of 2024 on injured reserve after playing 15 games with L.A. during his rookie season the year prior, almost entirely on special teams.

Also, since you probably recognize the name, his uncle is the famed San Diego Chargers Hall of Fame running back, LaDanian Tomlinson.

So, there's that connection.

Tre Tomlinson, a Los Angeles sixth-round NFL Draft choice out of TCU, is 5-foot-9 and 177 pounds. A Thorpe Award recipient in 2022, there's a chance the Niners are viewing him as a potential depth chart addition who can add something to what'll be a fully revamped special teams group under coordinator Brant Boyer this year.

San Francisco is already poised to lose two veteran cornerbacks to the free-agent market this offseason, Charvarius Ward and Isaac Yiadom.

While boasting fellow corners like Deommodore Lenoir and Renardo Green is promising, landing some in-division competition for the offseason won't hurt matters at all.

Especially if it can (somehow) weaken an NFC West rival.

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