The San Francisco 49ers made a roster transaction Wednesday morning. The team announced they have signed offensive lineman Andrew Gardner to a one-year deal, and waived offensive lineman Josh Allen to clear a roster spot. The 49ers had claimed Allen off waivers last week, and he was inactive against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday.
It has been a busy week of IR moves, and this move would suggest Marcus Martin might not be able to play on Saturday. Gardner plated tackle in college, but has played guard in the NFL in limited opportunities. He was a sixth round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2009, and has bounced around the NFL, playing with six different teams. He appeared in 16 games (eight starts) with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014, and then three last year, all of which were starts. They released him this past August.
Marcus Martin did not practice on Tuesday, recovering from an ankle injury suffered on Sunday. If Martin cannot go this Saturday, that would leave Alex Balducci, Zane Beadles, Joshua Garnett, and Andrew Tiller as the only interior linemen. Adding Gardner provides a little more depth.