The San Francisco 49ers are bringing back veteran defensive back Leon Hall, the team announced on Tuesday. The 49ers also announced the signing of defensive end Datone Jones, which was reported yesterday. To make room on the roster, San Francisco waived defensive lineman Xavier Cooper and, once again, tight end Logan Paulsen. This marks the third time that Paulsen has been released by the 49ers since September.
Hall spent nine days on the 49ers roster earlier this month. He was signed on October 10, inactive for a Week 6 contest against the Washington Redskins, and then released on October 19 to make room for the return of tight end Logan Paulsen. Hall reportedly earned two game checks totaling $117,647 for participating in four practices with the 49ers during that timespan.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Monday that cornerback K'Waun Williams is unlikely to play this weekend against the Philadelphia Eagles. He suffered a quadriceps contusion during the loss to the Dallas Cowboys.
Hall spent nine seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, the team that drafted him with the 18th overall selection in the 2007 NFL Draft. Last season, Hall appeared in 12 games – starting two – for the New York Giants after signing a one-year, $2 million contract in August of 2016. The 2016 season saw Hall compile 31 tackles, two sacks, two passes defensed, an interception, and a forced fumble. He saw a significant amount of playing time in the Giants' wildcard loss to the Green Bay Packers. Hall contributed a lot to the safety position in 2016 and also played in the slot.
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Over his career, the 32-year-old Hall has 501 tackles, 27 interceptions, 113 passes defensed, six forced fumbles, and three defensive touchdowns. He has also appeared in five postseason games over his career.
Hall, once again, becomes the 49ers' most seasoned veteran at defensive back. No other player within the group has more than five years of experience, with safety Eric Reid leading in that category.
The Green Bay Packers made Jones (6-4, 285) the 26th overall draft pick out of UCLA in 2013. He spent four seasons in Green Bay before spending short periods with the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions this year. Jones, who is in his fifth NFL season, has accumulated 73 total tackles, nine sacks, seven passes defensed, and an interception over his career. He started seven games during his four seasons with the Packers.
The 49ers had claimed Cooper off waivers from the Cleveland Browns on September 3. He appeared in five games this season and registered seven tackles and half a sack. Paulsen, who originally signed with the 49ers in March, has appeared in each of the team's seven games this season.
