The San Francisco 49ers weren't particularly active in the opening days of NFL free agency last March, primarily signing special teams aces and backups who'd serve well under the revamped regime of defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and special teams coordinator Brant Boyer.
Among those was veteran safety Richie Grant, who spent his previous tenure with the Atlanta Falcons and went from a starter his second year in the league to primarily being a special teams ace by 2024 before inking a one-year deal with the Niners when free agency opened earlier this offseason.
Considering Grant was one of San Francisco's first free-agent adds, the general thinking was he'd be safe on the regular-season 53-man roster, even if he was only to be a special teams contributor.
Well, initially, he was.
The 27-year-old defensive back survived post-preseason roster cuts. But, given the ever-present reality of shuffling roster spots, Grant's tenure wasn't exactly a lock.
49ers make Richie Grant a roster casualty amid latest moves
Teams juggle the back end of their 53-man rosters all the time, and Grant certainly fell into that category of remaining on the bubble despite surviving initial cuts.
One who didn't, however, was wide receiver Russell Gage Jr. But, in a transactional move, the 49ers released the veteran pass catcher, only to bring him back on a one-year deal to reinforce what's been an injury-depleted receiver room at the tail end of the preseason.
To open up a spot, the Niners released Grant -- a move announced on the team's website the Thursday after leaguewide roster cuts.
Additionally, San Francisco signed quarterback Adrian Martinez, running back Sincere McCormick and wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the practice squad.
For Grant, he's now a free agent and can sign with any team willing to offer a contract. It's also possible the 49ers look to bring him back in some capacity, perhaps as another practice squad option or as a go-to signee if injuries begin to deplete the defense.