The San Francisco 49ers are rolling to begin the 2026 campaign. After thoroughly defeating the Los Angeles Rams in Australia in Week 1, the Niners easily coasted past the Miami Dolphins in Week 2. Injuries are beginning to pile up, but San Fran has more than enough talent to remain one of the top teams in the league.
Over the offseason, the 49ers worked hard on reinforcing their depth so that if the injury bug struck, they’d be able to remain afloat. One spot that is running out of depth, though, is the defensive tackle position, and after losing James Thompson Jr. to a high ankle sprain in Week 2, San Francisco has decided to poach a player off of the Minnesota Vikings in an effort to fill this area of need.
49ers Sign Naquan Jones Off of Vikings Practice Squad
The 49ers currently have Osa Odighizuwa and Gracen Halton starting at defensive tackle, but with Thompson likely missing time and Alfred Collins on injured reserve, that has left C.J. West as the only other healthy player at this position. Unsurprisingly, that has forced the front office to bring a new face to town.
That player has wound up being veteran defensive tackle Naquan Jones. After going undrafted in 2021, Jones latched on with the Tennessee Titans, and he immediately carved out a role for himself. In 13 games (five starts), Jones racked up 29 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two pass breakups as a rookie, but that has ended up being his most productive season to date.
Jones has bounced around the league during his time in the pros, with his latest stint seeing him spend time on the Vikings’ practice squad. Players on a team’s practice squad can be signed by another team to their active roster at any time, and the Niners have decided to steal one of their top rivals in the NFC’s depth along the defensive line by signing Jones to their active roster.
“The 49ers are signing veteran DT Naquan Jones off the Vikings practice squad, per source,” NFL insider Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reported in a post on X.
49ers Reinforce Defensive Line Depth With Naquan Jones Signing
Jones split his 2025 campaign with the Los Angeles Chargers and Houston Texans, but he played sparingly for both teams, as he racked up just 13 tackles and one pass breakup in 12 games of action. With the Niners, Jones is probably the last layer of depth at defensive tackle right now, but he has proven he can hold his own when called upon throughout his career.
Beyond that, San Francisco managed to weaken another undefeated NFC team by poaching Jones from them, so even if he doesn’t necessarily pan out, Minnesota will have to find a replacement for him. The 49ers will look to continue their hot start to the season by picking up a divisional win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 3, with kickoff scheduled for 4:05 p.m. ET on Sunday.
49ers Steal Veteran Defensive Tackle From Vikings Practice Squad