Trench Reinforcements: 49ers Sign OL Kion Smith, Waive WR Colton Dowell Amid Roster Ailments
Battling a relentless wave of training camp injuries, San Francisco prioritizes interior depth by snagging a former Dolphins starter to shore up a shorthanded offensive front.
Video Transcript
The San Francisco 49ers personnel department continues to work around the clock as an unrelenting wave of training camp injuries has forced daily roster adjustments in Santa Clara.
With roughly twenty players currently dealing with var- various physical ailments across the active ninety-man roster, General Manager John Lynch and Head Coach Kyle Shanahan have made their latest transactional tweaks on Thursday morning.
The 49ers have officially signed offensive lineman Keon Smith to a one-year deal, and doing so had to waive wide receiver Colton Dowdle.
The roster addition came directly on the heels of a busy Wednesday workout session at the team's practice facility.
Facing depth shortages across multiple position groups, San Francisco auditioned five free agents, including offensive guard Braden Daniels and Keon Smith, offensive tackle Ryan Moseco, and wide receivers Christian Wilkerson and Donovan Peoples-Jones.
While Peoples-Jones brought the most recognizable resume, the 49ers front office ultimately prioritized immediate reinforcements along the offensive line.
The addition of six foot five, three hundred pound Smith addresses immediate depth concerns up front.
Smith, twenty-seven, has been in the NFL since twenty-twenty-one after entering the league as an undrafted free agent out of Fayetteville State.
He spent the sa-- past several seasons with Miami, accumulating two hundred and one total offensive snaps.
Majority of that action came last season when Smith started three consecutive games at right guard to open the season.
While his fir- first two performances were solid, he struggled against the Buffalo Bills pass rush.
His background in fast-paced zone blocking schemes makes him a perfect fit for Shanahan's offensive scheme.
With the preseason opener against the Tennessee Titans fast approaching on August thirteenth, Smith will get an immediate opportunity to log valuable practice reps and push for a permanent role on the fifty-three man roster.
