© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The seasons of Nick Bosa and Solomon Thomas are over. Both tore their ACLs on Sunday two plays apart and were placed on injured reserve Wednesday. In their stead, and with Dee Ford’s status due to an undisclosed back injury unclear, the team has signed defensive ends Ezekiel Ansah and promoted Dion Jordan to the active roster. Ansah was drafted fifth and Jordan third in the 2013 NFL Draft.
Defensive linemen Alex Barrett, who has been cut and signed and cut and signed at least four times this season, is back on the practice squad, as is Austin Walter, a running back out of Rice who had a decent training camp with San Francisco last summer. Running back JaMycal Hasty is a near-lock to be promoted from the practice squad to the active roster, but will likely not be permanently promoted to the active roster (like Jordan) until it is necessary. Teams can promote players from the practice squad to active roster twice before they have to sign them to the roster.
The following is from the San Francisco 49ers:
The San Francisco 49ers announced on Wednesday they have signed DL Ezekiel Ansah to a one-year deal and promoted DL Dion Jordan to the active roster from the team’s practice squad. The team also placed DL Nick Bosa and DL Solomon Thomas on the Injured Reserve List.
In addition, the team signed DL Alex Barrett and RB Austin Walter to the team’s practice squad.
Ansah (6-5, 275) spent six seasons (2013-18) with the Detroit Lions after the team selected him in the first round (fifth overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. With the Lions, he appeared in 80 regular season games (73 starts) and registered 218 tackles, 48.0 sacks, 10 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two passes defensed. His 48.0 sacks are the fourth-most in Lions history. Ansah also started two postseason contests, adding 11 tackles and 3.0 sacks with Detroit. In 2015, Ansah was named Associated Press Second-Team All-Pro and earned Pro Bowl honors after finishing the season ranked third in the NFL with a career-high 14.5 sacks.
Last season, Ansah signed with the Seattle Seahawks on May 10, 2019, and went on to appear in 11 games (one start) and record 18 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two passes defensed. He also appeared in one postseason contest and added one tackle.
A 31-year-old native of Accra, Ghana, Ansah attended Brigham Young University, where he appeared in 31 games (nine starts) and finished with 72 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 10 passes defensed.
Ansah will wear number 98.
Jordan(6-6, 275) was originally drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the first round (third overall) of the 2013 NFL Draft. Throughout his seven-year career with Miami (2013-16), the Seattle Seahawks (2017-18) and Oakland Raiders (2019), he has appeared in 50 games (four starts) and registered 82 tackles, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and five passes defensed. In 2019 with Oakland, he appeared in seven games and finished with five tackles, 2.0 sacks and one pass defensed. He signed with the 49ers as a free agent on August 7, 2020, was released by the team on September 5 and signed to the team’s practice squad the following day.
A 30-year-old native of Chandler, AZ, Jordanspent five years (2008-12) at the University of Oregon. He appeared in 45 games (25 starts) at Oregon where he transitioned from tight end to defensive end and finished his career with 121 tackles, 14.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and two passes defensed. As a senior in 2012, Jordan made 12 starts and registered 44 tackles, 5.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and one pass defensed while earning First-Team All-Pac-12 honors.
Jordan will wear number 96.
Barrett (6-2, 250) was originally signed to the 49ers practice squad on November 27, 2019, where he spent the remainder of the season. He re-signed with San Francisco on February 10, 2020, was waived on July 30, re-signed by the team on August 2 and later waived on August 13. Barrett re-signed with the team on August 30 and was waived on September 5.
A 26-year-old native of Mesa, AZ, Barrett attended San Diego State University where he appeared in 50 games (38 starts) and registered 169 tackles, 19.0 sacks, eight passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two interceptions.
Walter(5-8, 202) originally entered the NFL after signing with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent on May 6, 2019. He spent training camp with the team and was later waived on August 31, 2019. He then signed to the New York Giants practice squad on September 18, 2019. Walter was promoted to the Giants active roster on October 10, 2019, appeared in one game and was later waived on October 14, 2019.
Walter spent time in the XFL with the Dallas Renegades in 2020 where he appeared in five games and registered four carries for 19 yards and two receptions for 31 yards.
A 24-year-old native of Crosby, TX, Walter attended Rice University where he appeared in 49 games (four starts) during his four-year career with the Owls and registered 345 carries for 1,744 yards and 13 touchdowns to go along with 79 receptions for 803 yards and five touchdowns through the air. He also added 71 kickoff returns for 1,548 yards (21.8 average).
Bosa (6-4, 266) started in each of the team’s first two games of the season and registered six tackles and one forced fumble, while Thomas (6-3, 280) also started the first two games and added two tackles.