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49ers add three CBs, promote another in wake of Sherman, Witherspoon, Verrett and Harris injuries

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Photo by Doug Murray/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images


A heap of injuries at corner left the 49ers reeling on Wednesday. Richard Sherman suffered a calf strain. Ahkello Witherspoon is in concussion protocol. Jason Verrett has a hamstring strain and Tim Harris Jr. suffered a hamstring strain last Friday.

With those injuries, the 49ers snagged Ken Webster from the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad and added another pair of players to their own practice squad.

The following is from the 49ers:

The San Francisco 49ers announced on Wednesday they have promoted CB Dontae Johnson to the active roster from the team’s practice squad and signed CB Ken Webster from the Miami Dolphins practice squad to a one-year deal. The team also placed CB Richard Sherman on the Injured Reserve List. Sherman is eligible to be designated for return following the team’s fourth game of the season.

In addition, the team signed CB Brian Allen and CB Christian Angulo to the team’s practice squad and placed CB Tim Harris Jr. on the practice squad Injured Reserve List.

Johnson (6-2, 200) originally entered the NFL as the second of two fourth-round draft picks (129th overall) by the 49ers in the 2014 NFL Draft. Throughout his seven-year career with San Francisco (2014-17 & 2019), the Seattle Seahawks (2018), Buffalo Bills (2018), Arizona Cardinals (2018) and Los Angeles Chargers (2019), he has appeared in 73 games (22 starts) and registered 151 tackles, 21 passes defensed and two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns.

In 2019, Johnson re-signed with the 49ers on May 28, 2019 and was released on August 30, 2019. He signed with the Los Angeles Chargers and appeared in two games prior to being released on September 28, 2019. Johnson re-signed with San Francisco on October 3, 2019 and appeared in seven games and registered two tackles. He then re-signed with the team on April 13, 2020, was released by the team on September 5 and was signed to the team’s practice squad the following day. He was promoted to the active roster on September 12, appeared in the team’s season opener versus the Arizona Cardinals and registered two tackles on special teams and reverted back to the practice squad on September 14.

A 28-year-old native of Pennington, NJ, Johnson attended North Carolina State University. In 50 games (28 starts) over four seasons with the Wolfpack, he finished with 217 tackles, 10 passes defensed, 4.0 sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles. As a senior in 2013, he started all 12 games and registered 82 tackles, a team-high three interceptions, two passes defensed and one forced fumble.

A team spokesperson confirmed that the practice squad injured list function the same way as the regular injured reserve list, except players activated off the list return to the practice squad.

Players have to wait three games to return and do not count against the active roster number or practice squad number while they are out. After those three games, they can return to practice and games. When they do return to practice, a 21-day window is opened, during which they can return to the active roster or practice squad. New rules allow an unlimited number of player to return from placements on injured reserve.