The 49ers have moved on from roster cutdown day and into the part of the calendar where depth gets built one spot at a time. San Francisco has already trimmed from 90 players to its initial 53-man roster by Sunday’s deadline, and now John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan are working through the next layer: a 16-player practice squad.
That group matters. It is not just a holding area for young players; it is a working reserve that gives the coaching staff options over the course of the regular season. The mechanics behind it are shaped by the Collective Bargaining Agreement, which sets the rules for who can sign, how much they can make, and how often they can be elevated on game day.
Eligibility is split into four categories. Players without accrued seasons can join, as can free agents who were on the active game day list for fewer than nine regular season games during their only earned accrued season(s).
There is also a lane for up to 10 free agents per club who have earned no more than two accrued seasons, with no restriction on how many games they were on the active roster. On top of that, each team can carry up to six free agents with no limit on accrued seasons.
The money follows a separate structure. Players with fewer than three accrued seasons are paid a fixed rate of $13,750 per week, which works out to $247,500 over an 18-week regular season.
Veterans with three or more accrued seasons can negotiate within a range that starts at $18,350 per week and tops out at $22,850 per week. At the maximum, that adds up to $411,300 across the regular season.
There is also a built-in path from the practice squad to game day. Players elevated to the active 53-man roster receive the league minimum salary for an active player, and teams can do that with the same player up to three times in a season without signing him to a standard active contract.
In Other News...
49ers Suddenly Have A Bigger Brandon Aiyuk Problem Than Ever
The 49ers moved to settle their roster on Tuesday, but Brandon Aiyuk remained the name hanging over the room. General manager John Lynch confirmed the wide receiver is not currently on the active roster after San Francisco left him off the final 53-man roster and placed him on the reserve/left squad list, a move that underlined just how unusual this situation has become for a player who has been one of the offenses biggest pieces.
Aiyuk also has not taken part in offseason workouts or training camp, which has only added to the uncertainty around his future in Santa Clara. Public chatter has linked him to the Washington Commanders, but no official move has followed, leaving the 49ers with a high-profile issue still unresolved as the season picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Could Need Immediate Week 1 Help From Unexpected Veterans
The 49ers are already looking past the initial roster trim and into Week 1 depth planning, with defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo and wide receiver KhaDarel Hodge reportedly joining the practice squad. It is the kind of early-season move that says as much about health as it does about talent, especially with San Francisco getting ready for its opener against the Los Angeles Rams and needing enough reliable bodies to cover important snaps on both sides of the ball.
Okoronkwo and Hodge bring the sort of veteran experience that can matter quickly if the 49ers have to shuffle pieces before the opener, and both could end up on the game day roster right away because of injury concerns at their positions. Undrafted players Wesley Grimes and Khalil Dinkins were also mentioned in the mix, giving San Francisco a little more flexibility as it tries to get through the first week with its depth chart still settling into place. [Read more 🡒]
49ers Add Under-The-Radar Depth With One Week 1 Question
The 49ers kept adding to their depth picture after the opening roster decisions, turning to a practice squad group that brings a mix of experience and upside. Ogbo Okoronkwo gives San Francisco a veteran edge presence with seven years in the league, while Khalil Dinkins and Wesley Grimes arrive as recent undrafted free agents looking to carve out a foothold in the organization.
KhaDarel Hodge is the most familiar name in the group for fans who follow special teams and receiver depth, since he has already spent time with the Falcons. For a team that always has to manage the grind of a long season, these are the kinds of low-profile additions that can matter quickly, even if the bigger question around the Week 1 roster is still only beginning to take shape. [Read more 🡒]