The San Francisco 49ers pulled a move that makes you shake your head, waiving tight end Brayden Willis to clear space. Yeah, you heard that right, they cut Willis to make room for long snapper Jon Weeks, who got promoted off the practice squad. This wasn’t the only move either, with the team officially signing Khalid Kareem and placing Sam Okuayinonu on the Injured Reserve list. But the Willis cut just feels different, especially when you dig into the why.
The Head-Scratching Willis vs. Eason Call
Seriously, this whole situation felt off from the jump. The 49ers initially kept Willis over rookie undrafted free agent Bryson Eason, which was just puzzling. Eason apparently stacked up too much good film during preseason to let him walk, looking like a guy worth developing. The odds of Willis, who has been on and off the roster for a couple of seasons, making it through waivers felt much higher than Eason’s. Willis did have a couple of impressive blocks, sure, but on a down-to-down basis, it seemed unlikely he was going to contribute much. They even tried him on special teams during preseason, perhaps hoping he’d fare better, but he didn’t register a single solo tackle on 32 snaps. And let’s be real, with Kyle Juszczyk back practicing and George Kittle returning, Willis wasn’t exactly going to step onto the field anyway.
The Brutality of a Numbers Game
But it’s not just about Willis versus Eason. You gotta factor in the brutal roster dynamics at play. As much promise as Eason showed in August, you’re not going to just give up on the 2025 draft picks who also play defensive tackle. The team opted to roll with James Thompson, another undrafted free agent defensive tackle, meaning Eason ultimately fell victim to a numbers game. It’s a stark reminder of how absolutely cutthroat this business can be, especially if you’re Brayden Willis. Imagine making that epic 16-hour trip to Australia, mentally dialing in for Week 1, soaking it all in, only to get that gut-punching bad news less than a week before kickoff. That’s a brutal reality check, and it shows you how quickly dreams can evaporate in the NFL, no matter how much you prepare.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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