Offensive lineman Isaac Alarcón is expected to rejoin San Francisco's practice squad under the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPPP) exemption, NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco reported, days after his release. The move allows the 49ers to carry 17 players on their practice squad — one more than the usual limit.
Alarcón, 27, has been part of the 49ers' offseason program for three consecutive years, signing futures deals with San Francisco in 2024, 2025 and again earlier this year. He originally entered the league in 2020 with the Dallas Cowboys through the IPPP, which is designed to give international prospects a runway into the NFL via practice-squad eligibility and extended developmental reps.
Alarcón still hasn't appeared in a regular-season
game. His path was complicated further last year when he was suspended for the first six games of the 2025 season for violating the NFL's performance-enhancing substances policy.
For now, this looks like more of the same for Alarcón: a depth body who knows the system and remains with the organization in case and when they need to call him up. Another team could swoop in, too, and sign Alarcón off the practice squad if the 49ers don't elevate him.
This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Report: 49ers releasing project O-lineman, expect him to return to SF
