49ers place Hurd, Verrett on IR; sign WR Matthews
The San Francisco 49ers announced a series of moves on Thursday, placing wide receiver Jalen Hurd and cornerback Jason Verrett on injured reserve, signing corner Dontae Johnson and well-traveled receiver Jordan Matthews and re-signing offensive lineman Will Holden to their practice squad.
Hurd, a third-round pick out of Baylor in 2019, has been out since preseason with a back injury, while Verrett has been active only once in three games this season. He reportedly injured his knee against Pittsburgh in Week 3, though the exact nature of the injury was not announced. After going to the Pro Bowl in 2015, Verrett has played in only six games since.
Knee injuries limited him to five games in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, and a torn Achilles in training camp cost him all of 2018.
The 49ers have not ruled either Hurd of Verrett out of potentially coming off of IR later in the season.
Johnson spent the first four seasons of his career (2014-17) with the 49ers, making 158 tackles, defending 21 passes and intercepting two balls and returning both for scores. He played in 63 games with the club, starting 22. He played in one game with the Buffalo Bills last season and two games with the Los Angeles Chargers this season, not registering a statistic with either team.
The Chargers released him Sept. 28.
Matthews spent the first three seasons of his career with the team that drafted him in 2014, the Philadelphia Eagles. He was then traded to Buffalo in August 2017 but played in only 10 games for the Bills that year because of injury.
New England signed him in April 2018 but cut him four months later, and the Eagles picked him up again. After catching 20 balls for 300 yards and two touchdowns last season, Matthews signed with the 49ers in March of this year but was released on Aug. 31.
He has 270 catches for 3,255 yards and 22 touchdowns in 70 career games, making 46 starts.
In other 49ers news Thursday, coach Kyle Shanahan intimated that defensive back Jimmie Ward could be back in action Monday against the Cleveland Browns. Ward broke a finger in the preseason and hasn't played since, but he was back in practice Thursday.
"He's been healthy, but his cast has gotten smaller, so it's a lot easier for him to go this week," Shanahan said. "He's got the possibility to play at any spot. We'll see how practice goes and where we want to put him."
--Field Level Media
