Niners Cut 3 Defenders, Sign Rival LB as Roster Thins: Report

Kyle Shanahan

Getty Head coach Kyle Shanahan of the San Francisco 49ers.

The San Francisco 49ers have begun making cuts as the team moves toward the 85-man roster it is required to submit to the NFL as of Tuesday, Aug. 17.

The Niners said goodbye to three players on Monday, Aug. 16, all members of the defense. The team waived linebacker James Burgess Jr., linebacker Donald Payne and defensive lineman Eddie Vanderdoes.

The Niners announced the moves Monday morning via their official website, noting also the signing of linebacker Mychal Kendricks to a one-year contract.

News broke that a deal was in the works with the former Seattle Seahawks defender during the fourth quarter of the 49ers first preseason game, a 19-16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.


Niners Part Ways With Defenders Following Short-Lived Stints

Dee Ford progress

GettyNick Bosa #97 and Dee Ford #55 of the San Francisco 49ers.

The Niners defense is beginning to take shape as San Francisco moves toward its final 53-man roster, which will be made official on Aug. 31.

That linebackers were part of Monday’s departures tracks logically following the signing of Kendricks, who has been an NFL starter for most of his nine-year career and is likely to see the field in at least some capacity this season, assuming he can stay healthy. The linebackers to whom the Niners served pink slips had not spent much time with the team.

The 6-foot, 230-pound Burgess Jr. joined San Francisco on June 2 of this year.  Payne, who stands at 5-feet, 11-inches tall and weighs 217 pounds, became a member of the Niners on Aug. 11. Both came to the team via free agency before management waived them Monday.

Vanderdoes, standing at 6-feet, 3-inches tall and weighing 315 pounds, came aboard in the Bay on Aug. 12 but lasted only four days as a member of the Niners before he was cut.


Kendricks Signing Adds Depth to Formidable San Francisco Defense

GettyMychal Kendricks is now a member of the San Francisco 49ers.

Kendricks, now 30 years old, visited San Francisco earlier this week to discuss the possibility of joining the defense.

Most recently a member of the Washington Football Team, Kendricks never made much of an impact in the Nation’s Capitol. He appeared in only one game for the team, recording zero counting statistics of any kind.

But that was hardly Kendricks’ reputation before the disappointing campaign in Washington.

The 5-foot, 11-inch, 240-pound Kendricks began his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he played for six seasons. He appeared in 85 games for the Birds, starting 74 of those contests, according to Pro Football Reference.

He then signed with Seattle in 2018. The linebacker played in 18 games over two seasons with the Seahawks, starting 17 of those. For his career, Kendricks has registered 548 tackles, including 52 for loss. He is also credited with 31 passes defensed, 19 sacks, 7 forced fumbles and 4 interceptions.

Kendricks will enter the fold as the Niners’ third-string middle linebacker, behind starter Fred Warner and backup Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, according to the most current depth chart. He is slotted ahead of Jonas Griffith at the position.

Warner recently signed the richest contract for a linebacker in NFL history, inking a five-year, $95 million deal that includes $40.5 million in guaranteed money.

Kendricks will join a roster that also includes weak side linebackers Dre Greenlaw, Marcell Harris and Elijah Sullivan; as well as strong side linebackers Azeez Al-Shaair and Justin Hilliard.

Read More
,