Nobody was surprised when fourth-year cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. was included in the San Francisco 49ers' final group of roster cuts. The former fifth-round pick had been squeezed out of the defensive back room after a couple of key additions this offseason.
But the NFL's response to his availability might make John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan regret their decision.
According to Field Yates, Luter Jr. was the most sought-after player in the league to hit waivers before landing with the Las Vegas Raiders.
Yates said, "Darrell Luter had by far the most interested teams on the waiver wire yesterday: the Titans, Dolphins, Cowboys and Colts all attempted to claim him. The Raiders had priority. No other player waived over the weekend had more than 2 teams put a claim in."
The rest of the NFL's urgency to pick the cornerback up begs an uncomfortable question: Did the Niners get rid of the wrong guy?
Darrell Luter Jr. turned the tables on 49ers immediately after getting waived
In three years with San Francisco, Luter Jr. only appeared in 27 games. He made three starts (all in 2025) and never recorded an interception. His underlying stats were a bit more encouraging, though. He allowed receptions on 62.5 percent of passes thrown his way last season and only allowed one touchdown.
Luter Jr. wasn't a star by any means, but he was capable of filling in at cornerback in a pinch. After the 49ers signed Jack Jones and drafted Ephesians Prysock this offseason, though, his roster spot was in danger.
He made a strong push this preseason. In 138 defensive snaps, he allowed receptions on just 28.6 percent of targets and limited opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating of 39.6. He was credited with two run stops and one pass deflection.
Still, it wasn't enough for the Niners. He was waived on Sunday as part of the effort to get down to the initial 53-man roster.
San Francisco couldn't have cut any of its other cornerbacks, but some roster maneuvering could have opened up a spot for Luter Jr. Perhaps keeping fewer defensive linemen or linebackers could have created space for another cornerback.
Luter Jr. will have an opportunity to make a real impact with the Raiders, as their cornerback depth chart is much less complete than San Francisco's. If he can work his way up the pecking order by the time the Niners host the Raiders in Week 9, he'll get his chance for revenge.
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