The San Francisco 49ers lost fan favorite Marcus Rush to the Jacksonville Jaguars, but they will be promoting another intriguing character to the 53-man roster. Wide receiver DeAndre Smelter will be promoted from the practice squad, according to his agent Pat Dye.
The 49ers are expected to place wide receiver Quinton Patton on injured reserve. They have already made two IR moves, and this one will likely be announced sometime Tuesday morning. Patton suffered a foot injury in Week 15, and with two weeks left, any extended absence was going to result in a move to IR.
The 49ers drafted Smelter in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. He had suffered a torn ACL during the 2014 college season, and was one of Trent Baalke’s many medical red-shirts. he spent 2015 on the NFI list, and then was waived at the end of training camp this year with an injury settlement. Once the settlement time passed, he signed with the 49ers practice squad.
The 49ers current wide receiver depth chart includes Torrey Smith, Jeremy Kerley, Chris Harper, Aaron Burbridge, and Rod Streater. Smith is dealing with a concussion, and his status for Week 16 is unknown. If he does not play, the 49ers would be left with four receivers on game day. Smelter might not get much work, but with two weeks remaining, there’s always a chance for some offensive snaps.