Overview
- The 49ers announced on Saturday that they have waived Adrian Martinez and will carry Kurtis Rourke as the No. 3 quarterback on the 53-man roster.
- Rourke completed 12 of 14 passes for 101 yards in the preseason opener before fracturing three ribs and being taken to the hospital, and the team says he is expected to return to practice soon.
- Martinez appeared in all three preseason games, throwing for 346 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, but the team judged him inconsistent and placed him on waivers with no dead money owed.
- The decision leaves Brock Purdy as the starter and Mac Jones as the primary backup while the 49ers keep a rookie with perceived long-term upside as emergency depth.
- Rourke was a 2025 seventh-round pick who missed his rookie year after ACL surgery, and the move reflects the 49ers’ emphasis on roster control, injury contingency and developing a potential future backup.