Niners Nation
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted that the San Francisco 49ers are releasing wide receiver Russell Gage from the active roster. Per Schefter, the plan is to re-sign Gage to the practice squad and elevate him for Sunday’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. Of course, the caveat would be if Gage doesn’t sign elsewhere.
Aaron Wilson tweeted that the 49ers are promoting Marquez Valdes-Scantling to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. So, the two are effectively swapping spots.
Why? It could be contract-related. There are times when a player’s contract becomes fully guaranteed if he’s on the active roster. At the same time, Valdes-Scantling’s contract is around the veteran minimum since the Seattle Seahawks guaranteed his deal. So, perhaps this is a procedural move to help the 49ers save anywhere between $700,000 and $1 million.
If Gage doesn’t sign somewhere else, Brock Purdy will be throwing to both players this Sunday. So, while it impacts the 49ers financially, both receivers should be on the active roster come Sunday.
