Kemoko Turay did not make the 49ers’ 53-man roster, but he is receiving a call-up ahead of Week 2. Defensive end Jordan Willis will undergo surgery and head to IR, clearing a spot for Turay.
Willis will miss at least four games because of a cleanup-type operation, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle tweets. It is a knee procedure, per The Athletic’s Matt Barrows, who notes Willis voiced an issue about his knee — one that has given him trouble in the past — to the 49ers’ medical staff Monday (Twitter link). It sounds like the sixth-year defensive end will be out longer than the four-week minimum.
While Willis was inactive for the 49ers’ Week 1 game, he has contributed as a rotational rusher in the past. In 10 games last season, Willis played 25% of San Francisco’s defensive snaps. The Kansas State product has 5.5 sacks during a 49er tenure that began in 2020, when the team acquired the former third-round pick via trade from the Jets. Willis, 27, was active for all three 49ers playoff games last season.
A 2018 Colts second-round choice, Turay has spent much of his career battling injuries. Last season, however, the former Rutgers prospect showed flashes of the talent that prompted the Colts to draft him 52nd overall. Turay, 27, registered 5.5 sacks during his final Colts season. The 49ers signed Turay to a one-year, $1.7MM deal ($1MM guaranteed) in April.
The 49ers have a deep group of edge rushers. Samson Ebukam, the recently reacquired Kerry Hyder, 2021 trade acquisition Charles Omenihu and second-round pick Drake Jackson reside in the Nick Bosa-fronted position group. Turay, who missed more than a year after suffering a broken ankle early during his second season, will attempt to mix in for his new team going forward.