The San Francisco 49ers announced they have signed quarterback Josh Rosen to a one-year deal and wide receiver Jordan Matthews to the practice squad.
Josh Rosen back on the practice field in Arizona. He will wear number 2 for the #Niners vs #AZCardinals on Saturday #AZFamily pic.twitter.com/lQv23TIsyK
— Mark McClune (@MarkMcClune) December 23, 2020
The team also placed wide receiver Trent Taylor on the reserve/COVID-19 list and placed tight end Chase Harrell and fullback Josh Hokit on the practice squad COVID-19 list.
The reserve/COVID-19 list has been created for a player who tests positive for COVID-19 or has been quarantined after having been in close contact with an infected person or persons. If a player falls into either of these categories, his club is required to immediately place the player on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
Clubs are not permitted to comment on a player's medical status other than referring to the roster status and may not disclose whether the player is in quarantine or is positive for COVID-19.
The three additions mean the 49ers now have the following eight players on COVID-19 lists.
- TE Chase Harrell
- FB Josh Hokit
- QB Josh Johnson
- OL Colton McKivitz
- WR Trent Taylor
- RB Austin Walter
- WR Kevin White
- TE Charlie Woerner
The 49ers Communications staff provided the following rundown of the two newly-signed players.
Rosen (6-4, 226) was originally drafted by the Arizona Cardinals 10th overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Throughout his two-year NFL career with the Cardinals (2018) and Miami Dolphins (2019), he has appeared in 20 games (16 starts) and completed 275 passes of 502 attempts for 2,845 yards and 12 touchdowns.
This year, Rosen was waived by Miami on September 4, 2020. He then signed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers practice squad on September 6, where he has spent the entire season.
A 23-year-old native of Bellflower, CA, Rosen attended UCLA, where he started 30 games and completed 712 of his 1,170 passing attempts for 9,340 yards and 59 touchdowns. As a junior in 2017, he started 11 games, completed 283 of 452 passing attempts for 3,756 yards and 26 touchdowns, and earned Second-Team All-Pac 12 honors.
Matthews (6-3, 215) was originally drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft. Throughout his six-year NFL career with the Eagles (2014-16 & 2018-19), Buffalo Bills (2017), and 49ers (2019), he has appeared in 73 games (46 starts) and registered 274 receptions for 3,288 yards (12.0 average) and 22 touchdowns. Matthews spent part of the season with the 49ers in 2019 and appeared in one game. He was signed to San Francisco's practice squad on November 27, 2020, and was released on December 8.
A 28-year-old native of Madison, AL, Matthews attended Vanderbilt University. In four years with the Commodores (2010-13), he played in 51 games (37 starts) and finished his career as the SEC's all-time leader in receptions (262) and receiving yards (3,759) and totaled a school-record 24 receiving touchdowns.