Practice squad releases and signings

In addition to increasing NFL practice squads to 16 players this season, teams can protect four of those players each week from being signed to other rosters. NFL teams can also elevate practice squad players to the active roster up to 90 minutes before kickoff. The following four players are the practice squad members who the San Francisco 49ers plan to protect heading into their Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals at Levi's Stadium on Sunday, according to ESPN. C Hroniss Grasu CB Dontae Johnson DE Dion Jordan WR Kevin

The San Francisco 49ers have announced that the team has placed Deebo Samuel on injured reserve. The move will force the second-year wide receiver to miss at least three games under the NFL's new injured-reserve rules, meaning the earliest he would be available is for Week 4 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Samuel has not practiced with the team since suffering a Jones fracture in June. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had hoped that the receiver would be available for the team's Week 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, but the 49ers never cleared Samuel to practice this week. Shanahan was asked on Friday why San Francisco had not yet placed Samuel on injured reserve. "Because we believed he had a good chance to play this week," Shanahan

The San Francisco 49ers are signing former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brian Allen to the practice squad and promoting Dontae Johnson to the active roster, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. This news comes after reports that the team is placing veteran cornerback Richard Sherman on short-term injured reserve, and Ahkello Witherspoon is in the concussion protocol. The 49ers are preparing for their Week 2 matchup at MetLife Stadium against the New York