The San Francisco 49ers just dropped a bomb on their defensive line, releasing veteran Matt Judon on Saturday, less than two weeks after he even signed with their practice squad. Talk about a whirlwind; the guy just played in Week 4, and now he’s out the door.
The Great D-Line Shuffle Hits San Francisco Hard
This whole move comes after a week of serious roster juggling for the Niners, largely driven by their defensive line getting a bit healthier. Mykel Williams, who’d been chilling on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, is finally back in action after a strong week of practice. To make space for Williams, they first cut Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, who had been a steady presence, playing in all four games this season. But wait, it gets wilder: they immediately re-signed Okoronkwo to the practice squad and then elevated him for Sunday’s game anyway! It’s like a game of musical chairs, but with NFL linemen. With this “improving” defensive line health, they made the final, surprising chop, letting go of Judon.
A Blink-And-You-Miss-It Stint for Judon
For Judon, this whole San Francisco experience was incredibly brief. The 34-year-old only signed with their practice squad on September 29th. He got his shot in Week 4, elevating from the practice squad to suit up for 14 defensive snaps. His stat line for that brief appearance? One tackle. That’s it. It’s a tough break for a veteran, showing just how cutthroat the NFL can be, especially when a team’s health starts to trend up. You gotta wonder what went down for them to make such a quick decision.
Looking ahead, the 49ers could see more reinforcements next week. Nick Bosa and James Thompson Jr., both defensive linemen, didn’t practice this past week but are “potentially” in the mix for their Monday game against the Washington Commanders. For now, they’ll roll with Williams, Keion White, Osa Odighizuwa, Gracen Halton, Okoronkwo, Romello Height, Sebastian Valdez, and Khalid Kareem on the defensive line for Sunday. It’s a lot of names, but after this kind of churn, you have to wonder how settled they really feel heading into next week’s matchup.
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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