The 49ers just made a significant yet under-the-radar move.

They signed veteran center Matt Hennessy off the Falcons practice squad, and they signed him to a two-year deal. Which means he almost certainly will be on the 49ers’ 53-man roster again next season.

On Thursday, I asked head coach Kyle Shanahan what he knows about Hennessy.

“I know that we liked him coming out of college,” Shanahan said. “He’s done a good job there in Atlanta. I was really pumped to get him in this situation at this time.”

It doesn’t sound like the 49ers signed Hennessy to fill a roster spot for an injured player during two meaningless games to close out the season. It sounds like the 49ers signed him to be a backup next year and potentially develop into a starter.

Remember, the 49ers don’t currently have a backup center. Jon Feliciano was supposed to back up Jake Brendel, the starter, but injuries prevented Feliciano from being activated off Injured Reserve and he likely will retire this offseason.

So the 49ers could draft a center in a few months, or they could sign one now. And it seems they chose Option B.

Hennessy was a third-round draft pick in 2020, so he has talent. But he injured his knee twice with the Falcons and hasn’t been the same player since. The 49ers are taking a flier on him, presumably because they would prefer not to spend a third-round pick on a center in the upcoming draft.

The 49ers haven’t drafted a center since Kyle Shanahan and John Lynch joined the organization in 2017.