49ers sign nine players to the practice squad

The San Francisco 49ers have cut down their roster to 53. Something of note: none of the players they released on Saturday were claimed by other teams. That brings us to the practice squad, which the team announced they signed nine players to on Sunday morning. The practice squad eligibility rules state you can have ten players, so the Niners still have one spot open.

LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles
DL Kevin Givens
S Marcell Harris
TE Daniel Helm
WR Malik Henry
LB Elijah Lee
G Ross Reynolds
DL Jeremiah Valoaga
RB Jeff Wilson Jr.

The press release lists Flannigan-Fowles as a linebacker. He played 13 snaps there during the preseason. He played 28 snaps at free safety. Not that the designation matters, but perhaps they see Flannigan-Fowles as a player that can bulk up and play linebacker in the future. His current weight is 209 pounds.

Valoaga and Wilson both produced during the preseason. They both seem like ideal practice squad players to have on your roster, just like Lee, who played quite a bit for the 49ers in 2018. I wonder how much his injury during the preseason had to do with this, or was it Azeez Al-Shaair being a better player.

Per Matt Maiocco, the final spot is expected to be filled by OT Ryan Pope, who was a UDFA that was waived by the Detroit Lions. Pope played 23 snaps during the preseason, and his overall grade from PFF was a 48.1, where he allowed one pressure in those snaps.