The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for their Week 3 contest against the Arizona Cardinals, and all eyes are on star quarterback Brock Purdy, who is attempting to get himself back on the field after he missed the team’s Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints. However, other spots on the roster need attention, too, which led to a slew of roster moves from the front office on Wednesday.
In addition to Purdy, the Niners are dealing with injuries to several other key starters, which has put them in a bit of a bind to begin the season. As a result, the front office is scrambling to find players whom they can add to their active roster that they believe will help them win games. With their next game quickly approaching, the team made a pair of moves involving tight end Brayden Willis and offensive lineman Brandon Parker.
49ers Promote Brayden Willis to Active Roster, Sign Brandon Parker
As noted above, Purdy isn’t the only starter who is injured for San Francisco. Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t played as he continues to recover from a torn ACL and MCL he suffered last season, tight end George Kittle is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury, and offensive lineman Ben Bartch is joining him there after picking up an ankle injury.
With that in mind, the 49ers need help at both tight end and offensive line, and that is precisely what they went out and got. Willis, a seventh-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, has been added back to the active roster after suiting up for San Francisco in Week 2. He’s played in 18 games with the Niners, working primarily on special teams, where he has racked up four total tackles.
On the offensive line, San Francisco brought in five players for a tryout earlier this week, and the winner of the competition ended up being Parker. A third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Parker has played in 59 games over five seasons with the Las Vegas Raiders. He also spent time with the 49ers‘ practice squad last year, and his familiarity with the team has helped him return to town early in the 2025 season.
The San Francisco 49ers today announced they have promoted TE Brayden Willis to the active roster from the team’s practice squad. In order to make room on the roster, the team placed OL Ben Bartch on the Injured Reserve List. In addition, the team has signed OL Brandon Parker to the practice squad,” the team shared on its official website.
49ers Looking to Continue Winning Ways in Week 3
Amanda Loman/Getty ImagesThe 49ers are leaving open the possibility of quarterback Brock Purdy returning to play in Week 3.
San Fran hasn’t been perfect to open the new campaign, but they have done what they needed to do in order to pick up a pair of wins to open the season. Things are going to get more difficult for them moving forward, especially if they can’t get some of their injured starters back soon, but to this point, the Niners have done a great job of pushing through some early-season adversity.
Their toughest task of the season is approaching in Week 3, though, as they will take on the Arizona Cardinals, who have also won their first two games of the season. San Francisco could get a nice boost if Purdy can play in this one, but the team will likely be cautious with him, considering how it’s still only September. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET on Sunday, with the winner potentially set to take full control of the NFC West division.
49ers Sign 6-foot-4 TE to Active Roster & 33-Start Offensive Lineman to Practice Squad