The San Francisco 49ers are riding high after taking down the Los Angeles Rams in Week 1, but there’s still a lot of football left to be played. Per usual, San Fran suffered a handful of injuries during this contest, forcing the front office to make a handful of moves in an effort to keep the depth on the team’s depth in tip-top shape.
One spot that is beginning to feel the impact of the Niners’ perennial injury woes is the wide receiver position. The latest guy to go down was promising rookie De’Zhaun Stribling, which has forced the front office to find someone to fill in for him on the active roster. On Wednesday, it was revealed that San Francisco would be turning to former Pro Bowl wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge.
49ers Sign KhaDarel Hodge From Practice Squad to Active Roster
The 49ers loaded up at wide receiver over the offseason, but their depth at this spot is already being tested. Ricky Pearsall is out for the season, Stribling is set to join Christian Kirk on injured reserve, and nobody really knows what is going on with Brandon Aiyuk. With Stribling out, the Niners are running out of guys to line up at this position.
In the season opener, Hodge was elevated from the practice squad to the active roster, but his presence was primarily for special teams purposes. In 2024, while with the Atlanta Falcons, Hodge earned a Pro Bowl selection for his work on special teams, so while he isn’t necessarily known for his playmaking on offense, he has more value beyond his ability to contribute in the passing game.
With Stribling out, Demarcus Robinson is likely going to get more snaps on offense, but that will leave just Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins behind him on the depth chart. Since Hodge can fill several different roles, the Niners have decided to sign him to their active roster in the wake of Stribling being placed on injured reserve.
The 49ers are promoting WR KhaDarel Hodge to the active roster, per source,” Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported in a post on X. “Hodge was a practice squad elevation last week and had two tackles in Australia.”
KhaDarel Hodge Earns Opportunity for Expanded Role With 49ers
Hodge showed himself well throughout the summer for San Francisco, and with the team’s injuries starting to mount, he will now have an opportunity to carve out a role for himself on the active roster. In 12 games with the Falcons last year, Hodge only caught three passes for 31 yards, so while he isn’t a direct replacement for Stribling, he’s another pass catcher who can at least hold his own on offense if he’s called upon.
As has been the case throughout his career, Hodge’s primary contributions are going to be made on special teams, as San Fran still has enough guys to take the field on offense for it moving forward. If another player does down, though, Hodge is next in line to step up at wide receiver now. The 49ers will be back in action in Week 2 for a matchup against the Miami Dolphins, with kickoff scheduled for 4:25 p.m. on Sep. 20.
49ers Sign Former Pro Bowl Wide Receiver to Active Roster