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Eric Kendricks Joins 49ers Practice Squad as Team Weighs Late-Season Role

Signed Nov. 26, the former All-Pro is learning the scheme to bolster a thin MIKE group after Fred Warner’s season-ending ankle injury.

Overview

  • Kendricks practiced through the bye after being inactive in Cleveland, with reporting indicating he could be elevated as soon as Week 15 if ready.
  • Kyle Shanahan said the 49ers kept in touch with Kendricks throughout the year and were eager to add him once the timing aligned.
  • Warner remains on season-ending injured reserve and Tatum Bethune’s status is uncertain, leaving Curtis Robinson as a recent starter and the position unsettled.
  • The 33-year-old brings nine straight 100-tackle seasons and a 2019 first-team All-Pro nod, having led Dallas with 138 tackles in 2024 following offseason shoulder surgery.
  • After backing out on San Francisco last year to sign with Dallas, Kendricks apologized, declined a Ravens offer this fall, and chose the 49ers now, calling the team “special” for its resilience; some analysts see an initial passing-down role as plausible.