NFL teams had until 1 p.m. PT to reduce their rosters down to a maximum of 85 players on the active/inactive list. The San Francisco 49ers got there by releasing defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche.
The roster move follows those that came on Monday when San Francisco released cornerback Darqueze Dennard and waived fullback Josh Hokit, wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, and defensive lineman Tomasi Laulile.
The 49ers initially signed Nkemdiche to a one-year deal on July 26.
The Arizona Cardinals drafted Nkemdiche (6-3, 296) out of Ole Miss with the No. 29 overall pick in 2016. He registered 15 tackles, a quarterback hit, and a pass defensed through nine game appearances with the Seattle Seahawks last season, per Pro Football Reference.
Nkemdiche's best season came in 2018 with Arizona, when he had 32 tackles and 4.5 sacks on his way to a career-high Pro Football Focus grade of 58.1.
The next roster cut-down deadline is at 1 p.m. PT on August 23. NFL teams must get down to a maximum of 80 players by then. That will be after the 49ers play the Minnesota Vikings in their second preseason game.
The final roster cut-down deadline is at 1 p.m. PT on August 30, when teams need to reach the 53-player roster limit. That will be after the 49ers' final preseason game, a matchup against the Houston Texans, and before the regular-season opener against the Chicago Bears.
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