49ers’ Kyle Shanahan shares wise message to 53-man roster prospects – NBC Sports Bay Area & California
All NFL teams must cut their rosters to 53 players by 1 p.m. PT Tuesday, but 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is stressing to each player released from the club that this isn’t necessarily the end of their time with the organization.
“It’s a huge event,” Shanahan said Sunday on a conference call. “I always try to make a point of it. One of the things I say a lot is they talk about the final, but never in the history of football has the final been the final. It’s just going to be the final on Tuesday at 1 p.m..”
Shanahan and the 49ers have not only brought back previously released players to the practice squad in the past, but have eventually elevated them to active game-day rosters, even in their biggest games of the year.
“It changes all the time,” Shanahan said. “And you have 53 players that you select, and then you have 16 on the practice squad. It changes a lot throughout the year.”
The 49ers currently have players in their starting lineup who began their careers on the practice squad, including offensive lineman Colton McKivitz, receiver Jauan Jennings and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles.
Receiver Chris Conley started on the practice squad in 2023 and ultimately appeared in eight regular-season games, catching three of his six targets for 69 receiving yards. The nine-year veteran also played in all three postseason games, catching his two targets for 35 yards, both of which resulted in first downs.
“The important thing is to stay in this league and find a way to do it,” Shanahan said. “I always like to tell people that when we’re in a tough spot and we have to sign players in the middle of the season, we’d rather sign someone we know than some unknown guy.”
The 49ers had 12 players on the active game-day roster for Super Bowl LVIII who did not suit up for their Week 1 season-opening win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. A few were free agents, a few were rookies, but there were also players who were originally released on roster cut day.
In addition to Conley, several players were brought back to Santa Clara and were back on the roster during this year’s training camp, including defensive linemen Austin Bryant, Alex Barrett, TY McGill and linebacker Curtis Robinson.
“Even guys who don’t have a practice squad,” Shanahan said. “If they handle it well here, and they usually do through camp, it means they can bring something to the table. So even if you’re not one of those 16, you still have a chance with us in the future.”
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