The San Francisco 49ers have re-signed quarterback Tom Savage just two days after waiving him on Saturday and six days after initially signing him, according to head coach Kyle Shanahan. A roster spot was opened because the team is placing safety Adrian Colbert on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain.
San Francisco added Savage to the 53-man roster as a third and emergency quarterback on October 16. Injuries forced the 49ers to shuffle the roster heading into Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams. The team waived Savage four days after signing him to make room on the active roster for defensive back Tyvis Powell.
Shanahan views having three quarterbacks on the active roster as a luxury and had not previously done so during his tenure as the 49ers' head coach. It is likely that Savage becomes the first roster casualty again should the need to make room on the roster arise.
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Savage entered the NFL when the Houston Texans made him a fourth-round draft pick out of Pittsburgh in 2014. His best season came last year when he completed 56.1 percent of his passes for 1,412 yards with five touchdowns and six interceptions.
"He's got a strong arm," Shanahan said of Savage on October 16. "He's a very tough player, hangs in that pocket, and plays the position well. I was a fan of him coming out of college. He's gotten to play in a number of NFL games, so he's been battle tested. He was in a tough situation in Houston that didn't work out for him."
Colbert was injured during Sunday's 39-10 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.