The 49ers made a pair of additions Sunday evening, signing running back Khalil Herbert and defensive lineman Titus Leo to one-year contracts while clearing roster spots by waiving veteran defensive back Eli Apple and rookie defensive end Mikail Kamara.
Herbert arrives at a time when San Francisco’s backfield is getting hit hard in training camp. Isaac Guerendo is still sidelined while recovering from a pectoral injury, Jordan James is out with fractured ribs, and rookie Kaelon Black also appeared to be dealing with an injury during Saturday’s practice.
A veteran of 63 NFL games with 13 starts, Herbert has spent time with the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets. He has 416 rushing attempts for 1,957 yards and nine touchdowns, plus 54 catches for 316 yards and two receiving scores.
In 2025 with the Jets, he played in seven games and finished with 16 carries for 52 yards and one catch for four yards. The 28-year-old is expected to add preseason depth alongside Black and Patrick Taylor.
Leo gives San Francisco another body up front while the team tries to navigate a thin defensive end group. A former sixth-round pick, he has appeared in four NFL games across stops with the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Cleveland Browns and Philadelphia Eagles. He has one tackle and one pass defended on his NFL résumé, and most recently spent time on the Eagles practice squad during the 2025 season.
Apple’s run with the 49ers comes to an end after a brief return. The 31-year-old originally joined the team on a Reserve/Future contract on Jan. 20, 2026, after spending the end of the 2025 season in San Francisco.
He played in two games that season and had one tackle. The former first-round pick of the New York Giants in the 2016 NFL Draft has also spent time with the New Orleans Saints, Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Chargers and the 49ers during his career.
Kamara, meanwhile, was added on April 26, 2026, as an undrafted rookie free agent. His release follows a knee injury in Saturday’s practice, when he was carted off the field.
That injury only added to the concern on the edge, where Nick Bosa, Mykel Williams, Keion White and Romello Height are also dealing with injuries. With that group banged up, Leo gets an immediate chance to carve out more work during training camp and the preseason.
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