Less than a week ahead of their preseason opener, the San Francisco 49ers have made a flurry of roster moves.
On August 4, the team announced the signings of defensive linemen Bruce Hector and Bradlee Anae, safety Jaylen Mahoney, cornerback Fabian Moreau and offensive lineman Isaiah Prince.
To make room for the new guys, the Niners waived quarterback Tanner Mordecai, CB Tre Avery, wide receiver Isaiah Neyor, tight end Mason Pline and kicker Greg Joseph.
The releases of Mordecai and Joseph in particular are just a tad surprising, for different reasons. Let’s take a look at the 49ers newest additions, and what roles they could play.
More on the 49ers Latest Roster Moves
Hector, a 6’2”, 296-pound tackle who went undrafted out of South Florida in 2018, has bounced between NFL rosters and the XFL and UFL. He has only logged modest NFL production—about a dozen career tackles and a half-sack.
A former standout at Utah and a fifth-round pick by the Cowboys in 2020, Anae played 11 games for Dallas over the 2020 and 2021 seasons. He was the UFL’s most efficient pass rusher in 2025, logging a 91.7 pass-rush grade in true pass sets and finishing with 5.0 sacks and six tackles for loss.
Mahoney spent the 2024 season developing on San Francisco’s practice squad after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. At 5’11” and 200 pounds, he offers versatility and toughness, traits that fit well in special teams and sub-package roles.
Moreau, a third-round pick out of UCLA in 2017, has logged 305 career tackles, seven interceptions and 43 pass deflections over his career, which has featured stints in Washington, Atlanta, Houston, Denver and Minnesota.
A former sixth-round pick by the Miami Dolphins in 2019, Prince has served as a swing tackle in several spots across the league, including in Cincinnati, where he started four games during their 2021 Super Bowl run. After a 2022 elbow injury, he has played in just three games.
Kyle Shanahan Explains Why Team Cut QB Tanner Mordecai, Kept Carter Bradley
GettyTanner Mordecai was cut by the San Francisco 49ers.
When speaking with the media on August 4, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan explained the team’s decision to waive Mordecai, who has been with the Niners since April of 2024.
Shanahan says Carter Bradley, who joined the team less than a week ago, has impressed a lot in that short span.
“We brought him in not thinking we’d make a move that day, but he did so well in our workout that we went back and watched his 38 passes that he had in the preseason last year. We wanted to get him in here so he could compete with Tanner,” Shanahan said about Bradley.
“Then after some of the things that happened in the last practice, there was a number of D-linemen, and we just couldn’t have the luxury to have two of them. … Maybe there’s a chance we can get Tanner back. We’ll see how this roster goes. But we’d like the chance to work with Bradley right now.”
Is Jake Moody the Definite Starter at Kicker With Greg Joseph Gone?
Kicker Jake Moody, who has become known more for his misses than his makes, (he famously misfired on a critical 41-yarder in the Super Bowl 58 loss to the Chiefs) entered the offseason with his spot in question.
The Niners had added Joseph to push Moody, but according to Shanahan, San Francisco’s current batch of banged-up players has made it difficult to keep extra bodies that aren’t absolutely necessary on the roster.
“I would’ve loved to keep him longer allowed them to play that out longer,” Shanny said about Joseph. “But, we had 13 guys out at practice today. We got five guys on PUP. It’s just too many people to have that luxury. It’s awesome to have two kickers to allow them to battle, but they’re not guys who really take reps. We need more people to take reps for us.”
The Niners coach also seemed hopeful Moody might rebound.
“Kickers always know they’re competing with whoever’s out there. So, I don’t see much of a difference. … Moody’s got a lot of talent and he’s been kicking the ball very well, hopefully that continues.”
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post 49ers Release QB, Sign Ex-Cowboys Edge in String of Roster Moves appeared first on Heavy Sports.