The San Francisco 49ers made a couple of strategic roster elevations ahead of their NFC Divisional Round clash with the Seattle Seahawks, calling up defensive tackle Sebastian Valdez and offensive tackle Brandon Parker for Saturday’s game. On the surface, those moves might look like standard depth adjustments, but there’s more going on under the hood-especially when you consider who wasn’t elevated.
The real story here lies at linebacker. San Francisco has been managing injuries at that position, with both Dee Winters (ankle) and Luke Gifford (quad) listed as questionable coming into the weekend.
Neither played in last week’s win over the Eagles, which meant the 49ers had to roll with Eric Kendricks and Garrett Wallow as their starting duo. And to their credit, those two held up well.
But heading into a playoff matchup with a physical Seahawks team, linebacker depth is critical.
So when the team opted not to elevate a linebacker from the practice squad, it sent a strong signal: one or both of Winters and Gifford are likely trending toward being available. That’s especially notable given their practice participation.
Winters was limited all week, while Gifford didn’t practice Tuesday or Wednesday but returned in a limited capacity Thursday. That kind of late-week activity often points to a player being available on game day, even in a reduced role.
On the other side of the ball, the 49ers also ruled out rookie wide receiver Jacob Cowing, who has yet to make his NFL debut. What’s curious is that Cowing was a full participant in practice all week-just as he was last week-yet he’s still not ready to go as he continues to recover from a hamstring injury. It’s a tough break for the young wideout, who’s clearly close but not quite there yet.
As for Valdez and Parker, their elevations may not be tied directly to immediate positional needs. The 49ers are relatively healthy along both the offensive and defensive lines, so this could be more about rewarding two practice squad players with a game check and giving the coaching staff a little extra insurance in the trenches. Whether either sees the field will likely depend on how the game unfolds and what the inactive list looks like closer to kickoff.
One more name to watch: wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. All signs point to him suiting up this weekend, which could give the 49ers another versatile option in the passing game. Pearsall’s ability to work out of the slot and contribute on special teams could be a quiet X-factor in what’s expected to be a hard-fought divisional matchup.
Bottom line: the 49ers are getting healthier at the right time, and their roster moves this week reflect a team that’s confident in the direction of its injury report. With a trip to the NFC Championship on the line, every decision matters-and San Francisco looks like a team that’s ready to roll.