Briefly unemployed: 49ers release and then re-sign TE Logan Paulsen

If you blinked, you may have missed it. On Sunday, the San Francisco 49ers released tight end Logan Paulsen, who was among the first wave of free agent signings the team made in March. Minutes later, the 49ers announced that Paulsen had been re-signed. The move was enough to clear a roster spot to officially bring on defensive end Xavier Cooper, whom the team signed off of waivers, and then place defensive end Ronald Blair on short-term injured reserve. The IR designation for Blair, who suffered a thumb injury, means that he can return to the team after Week 6.


Paulsen spent four years (2010-2013) with current 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan while with the Washington Redskins. Shanahan was the offensive coordinator in Washington at the time. Following six seasons with Washinton, Paulsen joined the Chicago Bears last season.

Paulsen joined Washington as an undrafted free agent out of UCLA in 2010. In six NFL seasons (Paulsen missed 2015 due to injury), he has 82 catches for 816 yards and six touchdowns. Paulsen had just three catches for 15 yards last season but was still considered an elite blocking tight end. He appeared in all four of the 49ers' preseason games, starting on Thursday against the Los Angeles Chargers, but recorded just one reception for 11 yards.

Cooper, who was the only player claimed by the 49ers on Sunday, was a third-round selection out of Washington State by the Cleveland Browns in 2015. In two seasons with the Browns, he has recorded 39 tackles and 1.5 sacks. The 25-year-old defensive lineman had two years remaining on a four-year contract worth nearly $3 million when he was waived by Cleveland on Saturday.

Blair was originally a fifth-round selection by the 49ers out of Appalachian State in the 2016 NFL Draft. He appeared in all 16 games as a rookie last season, finishing with 18 tackles and three sacks.