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49ers Rookie Signal-Caller Not Finalized on the 53-Man Roster — Sends a Heartfelt Message to The Faithful

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Santa Clara, CA — With Tuesday’s 53-man deadline looming, Carter Bradley’s future sits squarely on the roster bubble. The 49ers are locked with Brock Purdy at QB1 and Mac Jones as the primary backup, while the QB3 path hinges on whether San Francisco carries a third passer now or tries to slide one onto the practice squad. Seventh-round rookie Kurtis Rourke opened camp on the NFI list (knee) and is viewed as a midseason option when healthy. 

In the preseason finale at Levi’s Stadium vs. the Chargers, Bradley wrapped his case with another late-game audition. Across three preseason weeks, ESPN logs him at 199 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT — steady work for a first-year QB trying to earn a developmental role in Kyle Shanahan’s room.

For the 49ers, this isn’t just a box-score decision. It’s about September flexibility, balancing special-teams and depth across the 53, and deciding whether to keep only two quarterbacks on the initial roster and stash a passer on the practice squad — a construction several local projections expect. 

Inside the locker room, Bradley chose to speak through attitude — humble but direct:

THE 49ERS PICKED ME WHEN I HAD NOWHERE TO GO. WEARING RED AND GOLD IS ENOUGH FOR ME. WHATEVER COMES—53 OR PRACTICE SQUAD—I’LL BE IN SAN FRANCISCO, WORKING AND READY. SEE YOU AT LEVI’S STADIUM.

That message fits the Levi’s ethos: when the team gives you a chance, the rest is work. Whether the next step is making the 53, moving to the practice squad through waivers, or a late twist involving an outside addition, Bradley believes his value lies in mastering the playbook, protecting the football, and being ready the moment his name is called.

The window is closing. NFL teams must be at 53 by 4:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, August 26, with practice squads forming after waivers clear the next morning — a rhythm that could determine where Bradley spends Week 1.

Eagles Head Coach Announces A.J. Brown To Start On The Bench For Standout Rookie After Poor Performance vs. Broncos
  Philadelphia, PA — the Philadelphia Eagles’ head coach confirmed that A.J. Brown will start on the bench in Week 6 against the New York Giants, with the boundary starting spot going to rookie WR Taylor Morin—an undrafted signing out of Wake Forest who flashed through rookie camp and the preseason. The decision follows an underwhelming offensive showing against the Denver Broncos, where several snaps highlighted the unit being out of sync between Brown and Jalen Hurts. On a midfield option route, Hurts read Cover-2 and waited for an inside break into the soft spot, while Brown maintained a vertical stem and widened to the boundary to stretch the corner. The ball fell into empty space and the drive stalled. On a separate red-zone snap, a pre-snap hot-route signal wasn’t locked identically by the pair, resulting in a hurried throw that was broken up. The staff treated it as a reminder about route-depth precision, timing, and pre-snap communication—the micro-details that underpin the Eagles’ offense when January football arrives. Starting Morin is part of a plan to re-establish rhythm: the early script is expected to emphasize horizontal spacing, short choice/option concepts, and over routes off play-action to probe the Giants’ responses. Morin—who has shown strong hands in tight windows and clean timing in the preseason—should give the call sheet a steadier platform, while Brown will be “activated” in high-leverage downs such as 3rd-and-medium, two-minute, and red zone to maximize his body control, early separation, and the coverage gravity that can force New York to roll coverage. Facing the tough call, Brown kept his response brief but competitive:“I can’t accept letting a kid take my spot, but I respect his decision. Let’s see what we’re saying after the game. I’ll practice and wait for my chance. When the ball is in the air, everyone will know who I am.” Operationally, the staff is expected to streamline the call sheet between Hurts and Brown: standardize option-route depths, clearly flag hot signals, and increase game-speed reps in 7-on-7 and team periods so both are “seeing it the same and triggering the same.” Handing the start to Morin also resets the locker-room standard: every role is earned by tape and daily detail—even for a star of Brown’s caliber. If Brown converts the message into cleaner stems and precise landmarks—catching the ball at the spot and on time—the Eagles anticipate early returns: fewer dead drives, better red-zone execution when back-shoulder throws and choice routes are run “in the same language,” and an offense that regains tempo before taking on Big Blue. With Taylor Morin in the opening script, Philadelphia hopes the fresh piece is enough to jump-start the attack from the first series.