The 49ers this week placed two players on injured reserve and ruled out seven more from playing in the season finale against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.
Therefore, they had to make one final round of roster moves just to be able to field a team for their Week 17 game at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.
The 49ers on Saturday announced:
–Kicker Tristan Vizcaino was elevated from the practice squad. Vizcaino will make his NFL debut on Sunday with Robbie Gould unavailable to play while on the NFL’s reserve/COVID-19 list.
–Veteran wide receiver Jordan Mathews, who appeared in two games over the past two seasons with the 49ers, also was activated from the practice squad.
–Veteran guard Tom Compton was activated off injured reserve after being cleared out of the NFL’s concussion protocol this week. He has started three games at right guard this season.
–Defensive lineman Josiah Coatney (Mississippi) and offensive lineman Isaiah Williams (Akron) were activated from the practice squad as COVID-19 replacements.
–The 49ers signed former Chargers punter Drew Kaser to the practice squad and waived offensive lineman Aaron Neary from the practice squad.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said on Friday he wanted to activate veteran quarterback Josh Johnson from the practice squad, but was not sure the team could do it because of other moves that had to be made.
Because Johnson was not elevated, Josh Rosen again will enter the game as the backup to starter C.J. Beathard.
The last-place 49ers enter the final game of the season undermanned against the NFC West champion Seahawks.
On Friday, the 49ers placed left tackle Trent Williams (elbow) and defensive end Jordan Willis (ankle) on injured reserve.
They ruled out the following players: wide receivers Deebo Samuel (hamstring) and Brandon Aiyuk (ankle), defensive linemen Javon Kinlaw (knee) and Kevin Givens (personal reasons), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (calf), and defensive backs Richard Sherman (calf) and K’Waun Williams (shin).
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The season has been unique, as the 49ers made roster moves at the latest possible deadline before every game to get new players into uniform. The 49ers’ injury situations often left the club uncertain which players would be available until late in the week.
“I’ve just kind of gotten a little numb to it,” Shanahan said. “I’m used to it. I’ve stayed up on Friday nights and done stuff that changes completely Saturday morning before I even got down to people because I’m getting texts on people you lose.
“I’ve had it happen on Sunday morning, right before a game goes where you have to change the openers and things like that. So there’s plenty of stuff that happens, especially with the COVID issues. But I think the hardest thing for us has been this year is how many people got wiped out with injuries right away.”
The 49ers will finish the season with Gould, long-snapper Taybor Pepper, wide receiver Trent Taylor and backup center Hroniss Grasu on the reserve/COVID-19 list.
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