Getty Head coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch of the San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers have announced four roster moves, two additions to the defense and two corresponding drops.
Joining the Niners are Shilique Calhoun and Alexander Myres, a defensive lineman and a cornerback, respectively. Each have signed one-year contracts. The team waived cornerback Mark Fields and offensive lineman Isaiah Williams to make room for the new faces.
The 49ers initially reported the news via a posting on the team’s official website Tuesday, Aug. 10.
Brief Histories of Niners New Player Additions
GettyHead coach Kyle Shanahan, of the San Francisco 49ers.
The 29-year-old Calhoun has played five seasons in the NFL, first for the Las Vegas Raiders (2016-18) and then for the New England Patriots (2019-20). The Raiders selected him with the 75th pick of the third round of the 2016 NFL draft.
The 6-foot, 4-inch, 260-pound defensive lineman has been a career reserve, playing in 51 games during his league tenure but starting only one. He has recorded 51 tackles, registered 2.5 sacks, forced 3 fumbles and defended 1 pass. His best season was in 2020 with the Patriots, during which he registered 2 of his 3 forced fumbles and 2 of his 2.5 sacks. He also made 18 tackles.
Myres signed on with the Pittsburgh Steelers in April of 2019 as an undrafted free agent. He played his first season as a member of the practice squad there before signing a Reserve/Future contract with Pittsburgh in December of 2019.
The Steelers waived the 5-foot, 11-inch, 192-pound cornerback in August of last year. He joined the Detroit Lions practice squad in December 2020. Ultimately, the 25-year-old played in one game with the Lions last season, defending one pass and making five tackles.
Fields, who the Niners let go, was previously claimed off waivers by San Francisco in March of this year after being released by the Houston Texans. The cornerback out of Clemson has two years of NFL experience.
The Niners brought Williams on as part of the practice squad in December of 2020. He signed a Reserve/Future contract in January 2021 before being let go along with Fields Tuesday.
Niners Defense Plagued by Nagging Injuries in Camp
Getty ImagesSan Francisco 49ers.
Calhoun and Myers may never make enormous impacts on the field in San Francisco. However, the Niners have dealt with injury issues up and down the roster, even early in camp. The more injuries they sustain, and the more those injuries persist, the more likely fringe signings like the two the team made Tuesday end up important.
Injured safety Jaquiski Tartt remains on the physically unable to perform list (PUP), while linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles remains in concussion protocol.
On the offensive side of the ball, wide receiver Jalen Hurd is entering his third year in the league, yet the young talent has yet to see the field for even a single snap in a regular season NFL game.
After spending each of the previous two years on injured reserve — 2019 with a back injury, and 2020 due to an ACL tear that occurred during training camp — injury concerns may be resurfacing for Hurd yet again.
The wide receiver underwent knee surgery earlier this year. Hurd has missed several practices early in training camp, and did not practice Tuesday because of difficulties with his knee.
“I know he’s battling back from a serious injury, and we know the potential he has and the upside and how much we think he can help us, but he’s got to show that,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “And there’s not a lot of time left. But we want to be smart with him. I know some things were bothering him today, so we were smart with him. Hopefully, he can get in a groove where he has a chance to go out there and play some football and give himself a chance to make this team.”