49ers sign veteran linebacker who ditched San Francisco for Cowboys in 2024 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The San Francisco 49ers have been one of the more banged-up teams in the NFL this season. While they’ve steadily gotten healthier over the course of the year, they still could use some extra depth additions to the roster.
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One of the areas where such depth is needed is the linebacker room. Fred Warner’s absence has been huge, and now with Tatum Bethune banged up and Luke Gifford also not 100%, the 49ers needed some extra depth.
In accordance with that need, the 49ers announced they signed a veteran linebacker to the practice squad. But that player, Eric Kendricks, previously ditched the 49ers for the Dallas Cowboys last offseason.
49ers sign veteran linebacker who ditched San Francisco for Dallas in 2024
“The 49ers sign LB Eric Kendricks to the practice squad and release Stone Blanton,” the 49ers announced on Wednesday.
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This roster move comes over a year after Kendricks decided to back out of his deal with the 49ers to sign with the Dallas Cowboys during the 2024 offseason.
The 33-year-old linebacker started in 15 games for the Cowboys in 2024, recording two interceptions, three passes defensed, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, three sacks, 138 tackles, and four tackles for loss.
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For a veteran linebacker in his 10th season, Kendricks was very productive for the Cowboys. While San Francisco lost out on him last offseason, he’s now returned to the 49ers, and this time, should stick with the team.
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He’s going to stay on the practice squad for now, and can be elevated three times to the active roster before he needs to be placed on the active roster for good.
This will be his 11th NFL season, if he suits up for the 49ers at some point, and he will look to add to his career 21.5 sacks, 1,174 tackles, 11 interceptions, and 60 passes defensed.
Over a year after ditching the 49ers for the Cowboys, Kendricks is signing with San Francisco’s practice squad to bolster the injury-riddled linebacker room.
