It’ll be another busy day. Teams have until 10 a.m. PT to claim players off waivers. We’ll also find out about the practice squad as the day goes along. Lastly, we’ll hear more about any potential Injured Reserve moves and potential designations to return later this afternoon.
Darrell Luter didn’t look great in the preseason. That didn’t stop the Raiders from claiming him. Bryson Eason failed to build on a strong Week 1. But he still played well. That was enough for the Chiefs to claim him. Kansas
City was 9th in the waiver wire.
I wrote about three players below, but one was claimed. You’re never going to complain about being 28th on the waiver wire. It means you’re coming off a season where you won a playoff game. But being low on the totem pole meant the 49ers were mostly stuck with what’s already on the roster when it’s time to make moves on the waiver wire.
Perhaps the 49ers didn’t want to add any player to their immediate roster, which would’ve meant more immediate changes to the roster. But you can still poach players from the practice squad, or sign them before another team does, once they’ve cleared waivers. That’s the case with the final two players.
S Kapena Gushiken
Vic Fangio gave Gushiken the nickname “Gush” in OTAs. He’s an undrafted rookie free agent out of Ole Miss who worked with the Eagles starters at times during training camp.
He’s undersized, listed at 5’9″, 189 pounds, but is a superb athlete. Gushiken ran a 4.35 40, had a vertical jump of 41″, and a broad jump of 11′ at Ole Miss’s Pro Day last spring. He registered the third-fastest GPS time in college football in 2024.
It seemed as though Gushiken was a lock to make the roster up until the final preseason game. Fangio said it would be a big game for him. However, he missed three tackles, gave up a first-down reception, and allowed a touchdown, which likely sealed his fate.
He was an aggressive tackler in the two games prior and gave up next to nothing in coverage. In every game, Gushiken was active on special teams. One of the misses occurred on special teams. And you can see where his size would be an issue as a gunner, but the closing speed and overall athleticism give you value on special teams and something to work with at safety.
Update: Gushiken was claimed by the Colts. Indianapolis was 16th on the waiver wire.
OT Christian Jones
Jones is a right tackle who cross-trained on the left side, which likely hurt his development. Jones, 6’5″, 320 pounds, was drafted in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. He didn’t play more than 70 snaps as a rookie and was on the Injured Reserve until December of last season due to a knee injury.
The arm length, hand size, and athleticism are there. He only played 10 snaps at left tackle in the Hall of Fame Game before playing right tackle in every other game. At 26, Jones is still green enough to develop into a swing tackle.
The former Texas Longhorn is not a bad player. He needs to refine his technique, but the strength and movement skills are there. On the practice squad, Jones could continue to develop as a player in hopes of impressing enough to land as a backup next year.
Update: Jones was claimed by
EDGE Isaiah Foskey
Foskey played edge rusher for the Bengals. He was a second-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He had a strong preseason, recording 11 pressures. His tackling was shoddy, but Foskey showed enough as a pass rusher and was comfortable dropping into coverage, where it’s worth a waiver claim — especially for a team struggling to generate a pass rush.
Foskey has good size and length at nearly 6’5″, 264 pounds, with 34″ arms. He ran a 4.58 40 and had a broad jump in the 89th percentile, so the get-off should be there. The 49ers would be banking on the second-round pedigree, Notre Dame’s all-time sack leader, and a player who plays hard. The idea is to upgrade your depth at edge rusher. Foskey allows you to get younger and more athletic.
