NFL cutdown day sparked a new wave of moves across the league as teams scrambled to make the final roster cuts required to meet the league’s 53-man threshold. While front offices were agonizing over deciding which players to retain and which to cut loose, Kyle Shanahan‘s San Francisco 49ers were one of the busiest teams retooling their 2025 roster.

Kyle Shanahan has worked with an egregious number of training camp injuries, making what was already a difficult roster construction process even tougher. The 49ers opened the preseason with gigantic question marks in several positions following their miss of the playoffs during the 2024 season and performing a full roster rebuild over the offseason. Shanahan even admitted the choices before him were “really complicated” and would involve ongoing tweaking.

The 49ers made seven roster cuts on Monday (August 25), and the most notable came at quarterback. With Mac Jones sidelined by injury, Kyle Shanahan trimmed the depth chart by waiving Tanner Mordecai and Carter Bradley. NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco designated both quarterbacks as “waived/injured,” along with five other players who didn’t make the final cut. Bradley, who had been vying for third-string quarterback action, and Mordecai, who was signed and released a number of times during camp, each got hurt in the preseason finale on August 23 against the Los Angeles Chargers, effectively ending any lingering opportunities they might have had.

If unclaimed, Mordecai and Bradley will revert to injured reserve, leaving them ineligible to suit up for San Francisco. They could later be released with settlements once healthy enough to return. The moves simplify the QB room and reflect Shanahan’s confidence in the options still on the roster.

By releasing both developmental arms, Kyle Shanahan has essentially closed his QB room going into the season and is comfortable with the current rotation, even with Jones a question mark. The roster realignment means the 49ers are willing to move on without leaving a backup behind, valuing consistency over experimentation. Other moves on the roster were waiving defensive lineman Jaylon Allen and Shakel Brown, releasing running back Ke’Shawn Vaughn, and putting offensive lineman Isaiah Prince on IR. The message is clear: Kyle Shanahan is committing to his QB plan early so the 49ers can head into the season with certainty at the most important position.

The play leaves Brock Purdy and Mac Jones as the sole quarterbacks on the 53-man roster. Jones injured his knee in the preseason game, but coaches rested him for the game against the Chargers and still expect him to be ready to go for the regular-season opener. Kyle Shanahan originally had intended to provide Purdy and the starters with some playing time in the preseason finale, but Jones’ injury prevented that from happening.

“That’s why we brought in Nate — because I know we’re going to want at least two other guys to play besides Brock if he does go. But that will be up to me to decide after these next two practices,” Kyle Shanahan stated, alluding to the emergency signing of Nate Sudfeld. The staff released Sudfeld after signing him on August 19, paved the way for Mordecai to return, and then released both quarterbacks in the end.

The quarterback rotation indicates Shanahan’s faith in his number one and number two quarterbacks and in the good balance of having only two quarterbacks enter the season. It would be rare that the 49ers have only two quarterbacks on the active roster for the whole season. The team can retain either Bradley or Mordecai on the practice squad if they pass through waivers and get over their injuries. Kurtis Rourke is still on the non-football injury list while recuperating from ACL surgery, and the team may employ him as the third quarterback toward the latter end of the season.

Kyle Shanahan wants Jauan Jennings to be available for Week 1

Having shaken an initial calf injury scare that had kept him out, veteran wide receiver Jauan Jennings looks set to dress up for the season opener in Seattle. Shanahan was guardedly optimistic on August 23, stating, “I expect him to be back… calves take time. You never know with calves,” and stating that he’s (Shanahan) “not a doctor” but is optimistic Jennings heals in the next couple of weeks. Jennings, who recorded career-bests of 77 receptions for 975 receiving yards and six touchdowns in 2024, provides an outside threat in scoring that the 49ers lacked while he was unavailable.

Behind the scenes, the team’s depth chart has been shaky due to injuries. Brandon Aiyuk is still on the PUP list after having knee surgery, and the team put wide receiver Jacob Cowing on injured reserve with a six-week hamstring injury. To try to stem the tide, San Francisco traded for Kansas City‘s Skyy Moore and has relied on Ricky Pearsall in attempting to replace that missing dynamic spark.

As the 49ers focus on Seattle, the next two practices will be critical in establishing roles and keeping rosters healthy and ready. Brock Purdy will be the starter, and Mac Jones is returning from his injury. San Francisco goes into Week 1 with confidence in its veteran core. The final cutdown efforts reflect Shanahan’s commitment to having a well-balanced roster that can weather the ailments of early in the early season.