The 49ers had initially intended to fill the vacant roster spot with former Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers safety J.J. Wilcox, who was at the team facility on Tuesday to sign his contract. However, he "got stage fright" and "flipped" his decision, according to a report from Adam Schefter of ESPN. Wilcox left Santa Clara without a deal and jumped on a flight to New Jersey to sign with the New York Jets.
The 49ers initially signed Exum Jr. (6-0, 219) on November 7, 2017. He appeared in two games with one start and registered three tackles for San Francisco last season.
The Minnesota Vikings made Exum Jr. a sixth-round draft pick in 2014. In three seasons (2014-16) there, he recorded 18 tackles, two fumble recoveries, and one forced fumble to go along with 13 tackles on special teams in 27 game appearances with two starts. Exum Jr. spent the 2016 season on injured reserve and Minnesota waived him on September 16, 2017.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
Only one 49ers player leads position group in Pro Bowl voting
The NFL Communications staff released the latest voting results for the 2026 Pro Bowl Games, with the AFC and NFC rosters set to be unveiled Tuesday morning. Among the San Francisco 49ers, only one player currently leads his position group: fullback Kyle Juszczyk. Selections... -
49ers' John Lynch pushes back on narrative that Ricky Pearsall is injury-prone
Second-year wide receiver Ricky Pearsall has dealt with multiple injuries during the 2025 season, leading some to question whether the San Francisco 49ers playmaker is injury-prone. Pearsall first suffered a hamstring injury during the offseason, briefly landing him on the... -
49ers bring back familiar QB, work out two O-linemen
The San Francisco 49ers made a minor roster move on Wednesday, adding quarterback depth while also evaluating help along the offensive line. According to the NFL transaction wire, the 49ers signed quarterback Adrian Martinez to their practice squad. Martinez had spent much of... -
49ers mailbag: What's up with Jordan Elliott's knee? Can SF stop Jonathan Taylor? What's on the 49ers' list for Santa?
The San Francisco 49ers are gearing up for the final push toward the 2025 postseason. How far they will be able to go will depend on their health and how many young players perform. Especially since some are reserves who are playing for injured players. We opened the 49ers...