The 49ers on Wednesday made a couple roster move as a follow up to their cut down to 53 players. Defensive lineman Maurice Hurst and cornerback Davontae Harris were both placed on Injured Reserve. Cornerback Dontae Johnson and offensive lineman Jake Brendel were signed to fill the vacated roster spots.
Hurst is dealing with a high ankle sprain he suffered in the second preseason game. He’ll be eligible to return from IR after three weeks, although there’s a chance his ailment keeps him out longer than that.
Harris is working through a hamstring issue that forced him to miss the final preseason game. He’ll also be able to come back in Week 4 at the earliest.
It’s not a huge surprise Johnson made his way back to the team. He’s a versatile veteran cornerback who also contributes on special teams.
Brendel was tabbed as a practice squad candidate, but the interior offensive lineman gives the 49ers some added depth at center after putting together a nice camp. He started the two preseason games Alex Mack missed. This gives San Francisco some flexibility to keep Daniel Brunskill at right guard if Mack is unavailable. The 49ers were light on offensive linemen on the initial 53-man roster, so it’s a smart move to add more depth there instead of replacing Hurst with another defensive lineman.
