Getty Willie Henry signed with the San Francisco 49ers.
The San Francisco 49ers revealed a series of roster moves ahead of their Week 8 matchup with the Seattle Seahawks. The 49ers signed defensive tackle Willie Henry and offensive lineman Tony Bergstrom to the team’s practice squad. San Francisco released cornerback Brian Allen, offensive lineman Cody Conway and defensive lineman Adam Shuler which created room on the practice squad for the two new additions.
Henry played back-to-back seasons with the Ravens in 2017 and 2018. The Niners signed Henry to a Reserve/Future contract in February before releasing the defensive tackle in July. Henry notched 3.5 sacks and 11 quarterback hits in 14 appearances during his rookie season.
Bergstrom has played seven NFL seasons and started six games in 2019 for Washington. The tackle started his career with the Raiders then had stints with the Texans, Ravens and Washington Football Team.
The Niners Are Expecting to Be Without Deebo Samuel & Jeff Wilson Jr. for Multiple Weeks
San Francisco received more bad news over the weekend as Deebo Samuel and Jeff Wilson Jr. are expected to miss multiple weeks. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted Wilson will be sidelined for about one month as the latest running back that is expected to be placed on injured reserve.
“He was unbelievable,” Shanahan on Wilson, per 49ers.com. “I was very happy for him and how hard he played. It was extremely unfortunate he got hurt. I know he’s really disappointed in that because of how good he was playing. But at least he’ll be able to come back. It will be a month most likely but he’ll be back from it.”
All signs point to Samuel missing at least the next two weeks with a hamstring injury. Samuel has been one of the most dynamic Niners playmakers but has struggled to stay on the field.
San Francisco Parted Ways With WR Tavon Austin
The 49ers knew speedy wide receiver Tavon Austin would miss the 2020 season, but now the playmaker is no longer on the team’s roster. San Francisco announced they reached an injury settlement with Austin, and he is no longer with the team. Austin is exactly the kind of playmaking receiver Shanahan loves but his health prevented him from ever taking a snap in a 49ers uniform.
“It’s a lot of learning,” Austin told NBC Sports Bay Area in training camp. “You can’t be a dummy and be in this offense. You got to be smart. You got to be able to go on the fly. It’s challenging, That’s what I like about it. You got to come in ready to work every day.”
It will be interesting to see if the 49ers will make any moves prior to the NFL trade deadline on November 3. The Niners have managed to remain competitive despite the roster being decimated by injuries, but there are plenty of holes on both sides of the ball that a potential deal could help fill in the gaps. San Francisco has been vocal about their desire to move wide receiver Dante Pettis, but it is worth watching to see if the team will also be buyers at the deadline.
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