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Defensive lineman Khalid Kareem signs with 49ers; Sam Okuayinonu placed on IR
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- Defensive lineman Khalid Kareem signs with 49ers; Sam Okuayinonu placed on IR
Defensive lineman Khalid Kareem signs with 49ers; Sam Okuayinonu placed on IR originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
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Programming note: NBC Sports Bay Area and NBC Bay Area will provide complete coverage of the 49ers ' season opener against the Rams in Melbourne, Australia, on Thursday, Sept. 10. First, tune in to NBC Sports Bay Area at 4:30 p.m. PT for "49ers Pregame Live." Then, switch over to NBC Bay Area or Netflix at 5:30 p.m. PT for the game broadcast. As soon as the game ends, flip back to NBC Sports Bay Area for "49ers Postgame Live."
MELBOURNE, Australia — The 49ers added a player to their roster who is taking the long route to Down Under.
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The 49ers announced that they have signed defensive lineman Khalid Kareem off the Atlanta Falcons ' practice squad, after a source first told NBC Sports Bay Area of the deal. Kareem is traveling the extra miles to join the team in Melbourne on Saturday (Australian time) to join the 53-man roster.
To make room on the roster, the 49ers place defensive lineman Sam Okuayinonu on injured reserve.
The 49ers arrived in Melbourne on Friday morning. They will have a regular practice week leading into their Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams .
The imminent signing of Kareem became necessary for the 49ers after Okuayinonu sustained a foot injury at practice on Wednesday in Santa Clara.
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Kareem was signed, in large part, due to his experience in defensive coordinator Raheem Morris' scheme. Kareem, a six-year NFL veteran, played the past two seasons for Morris, who was the Falcons' head coach.
Kareem, 28, entered the NFL as a fifth-round pick of the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 draft.
He appeared in 34 games (one start) in his six seasons with Cincinnati, Indianapolis , Chicago and Atlanta.
The 49ers' depth along the defensive line is being tested with Okuayinonu out indefinitely. He appeared in 15 games last season for San Francisco with 12 starting assignments.
Kareem joins a group of defensive linemen that includes Nick Bosa , Osa Odighizuwa , Keion White , Alfred Collins , Romello Height, CJ West, Gracen Halton and James Thompson.
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In addition, the 49ers appear likely to elevate defensive lineman Ogbo Okoronkwo for the Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams .
