The 53-man rosters are finalized, and the player cuts are wrapped up. All 32 teams, including the 49ers, have submitted who they kept and who they let go to the league.
Post-preseason releases are another viable resource for NFL teams to secure a player who plugs a hole or adds depth to a position that is lacking. The San Francisco would be wise to look at one team in the AFC North and who they got rid of.
An undersized but durable athlete in Beanie Bishop, Jr. was cut by the Pittsburgh Steelers on Tuesday. The cornerback is now looking for a new home and there might be one available for him in the Bay Area.
The 49ers need to call Beanie Bishop after surprise Steelers release
The Louisville, Kentucky native had an impressive rookie season for Pittsburgh last year. Bishop played in all 17 games for the Steelers and started six times. With the additions of veterans Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay, Bishop, Jr. became expendable.
During his first year in the NFL, the young athlete recorded 45 total tackles and half a sack. Bishop also hauled in four interceptions and recovered a fumble in 2024.
The former West Virginia Mountaineer racked up six total tackles and a pair of pass deflections during the preseason for the Steelers this summer. The 25-year-old is a versatile cover downfield and would complement San Francisco's secondary.
With Deommodore Lenoi, Ji'Ayir Brown, Malik Mustapha, and Renardo Green, the five-time Super Bowl champions could benefit from a youthful, tenacious corner on the 49ers' depth charts. San Francisco has to face their three NFC West foes twice, as they all have quarterbacks capable of launching it downfield: Matthew Stafford, Kyler Murrray, and former 49er, Sam Darnold.
If nothing else, adding Bishop to the practice squad prepares head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch for the inevitable, the injury bug. Both times this decade that the 49ers missed the playoffs, including last season, injuries decimated their roster in key positions on both sides of the ball.
Should the former Steelers corner jump to the NFC and play for San Francisco, the 49ers are gaining an exceptional talent. Arguably, Bishop's best game last year was against the New York Jets as he picked current Pittsburgh starting quarterback Aaron Rodgers off twice.
The 49ers defense had 11 interceptions in 2024, tying them for fifth-most with the Chicago Bears. Signing the skilled free agent might help San Francisco do even better on that mark in 2025.