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Eric Saubert

Seahawks To Sign TE Eric Saubert

March 24th, 2025 at 6:18pm CST by Ben Levine

Eric Saubert is sticking in the NFC West. After spending the 2024 season with the 49ers, the veteran tight end is joining the Seahawks, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Saubert is firmly at journeyman status at this point of his career, as the Seahawks will represent his 11th NFL team. Still, the former fifth-round pick has managed to get consistent work, appearing in 101 games across his eight NFL seasons.

Traditionally deployed as a blocking tight end or special teamer, Saubert has seen some work in the receiving game throughout his career. His best offensive showing came with the Broncos in 2022, when he finished with 15 catches for 148 yards.

The 30-year-old got into all 17 games (three starts) for the 49ers last season, hauling in 11 catches while splitting his nearly 700 total snaps between offense and special teams. Saubert was entrenched as the team’s TE2 in 2024, and he earned his handful of starts when George Kittle was out of the lineup.

Saubert could have a tougher path to playing time in Seattle. The Seahawks return their top-two tight ends from 2024 in Noah Fant and AJ Barner, and the team is also still rostering recent UDFA Brady Russell. Saubert’s best path to a roster spot will likely come via special teams, but he’ll need to show some offensive value if he doesn’t want to land on the practice squad.

Wednesday NFL Transactions: NFC West

August 28th, 2024 at 9:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Following the 53-man roster cutdown deadline Tuesday, many teams will make slight tweaks to their rosters. In addition to waiver claims, teams can begin constructing their 16-man practice squads today. These 49ers, Cardinals, Rams and Seahawks moves are noted below.

Arizona Cardinals

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

Los Angeles Rams

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

San Francisco 49ers

Signed:

Claimed:

Waived:

Placed on IR:

Signed to practice squad:

Seattle Seahawks

Signed:

Claimed:

Signed to practice squad:

49ers Activate Talanoa Hufanga, Move Roster To 53

August 27th, 2024 at 4:29pm CST by Sam Robinson

Two 49ers remain out out of the mix (but definitely not out of headlines, in Brandon Aiyuk‘s case), though both standouts are still employed by the team. Though, Trent Williams remains on the reserve/did not report list. Here is how the defending NFC champs pared their roster to 53 by today’s deadline:

Released:

Waived:

Activated from active/PUP list:

Placed on IR:

Placed on IR (return designation):

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

Hufanga’s status represents a positive development for a 49ers team in need of them. The All-Pro safety had been rumored to join Greenlaw on the reserve/PUP list. Avoiding it does not guarantee Hufanga will be ready for Week 1, but it keeps the fourth-year defender in the equation for the 49ers’ first four games. They are choosing to carry Hufanga on the 53-man roster and go week-to-week with him. This undoubtedly led to Walker being moved off the roster.

Conversely, Mitchell’s time with the team may be over. San Francisco surprised most by vaulting the 2021 sixth-round pick into a starting role to open that season, dropping Trey Sermon to a backup spot. Mitchell operated as San Francisco’s preferred starter — as long as he was healthy, which was sporadic — until the October 2022 Christian McCaffrey trade. The 49ers now have Jordan Mason and rookie Isaac Guerendo as CMC backups.

A hamstring injury has sidelined Mitchell, potentially opening the door to an injury settlement. Davis will be able to return this season for the 49ers; Mitchell’s designation would prevent that. The 49ers are down to seven IR activations as a result of the Davis decision. A 2022 sixth-round pick, Davis remains in the team’s plans despite injuries largely keeping him out of action. Davis has played just three NFL games, and he suffered another injury — a knee issue requiring surgery — during camp.

The 49ers, who will bring many of these players back to the practice squad, cut two recent third-round picks — Gray and Latu. The latter has not played yet as a pro, missing his entire rookie season with an ACL tear. Gray has been unable to carve out a role on a 49ers team that has seen Jauan Jennings stick as the team’s WR3; rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing are also in the mix now.

49ers Rumors: Willis, Floyd, Ward

May 27th, 2024 at 10:13pm CST by Ely Allen

The 49ers have one of the NFL’s more complete rosters with few holes, if any. While tight end is certainly not a hole on the roster with George Kittle bringing his All-Pro talent to the offense, the team will be looking to fill in the depth behind him after the departures of Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley in free agency. Both former San Francisco backups signed with the Falcons this offseason.

According to Cam Inman of The Mercury News, second-year tight end Brayden Willis is making a case for the TE2 job in 2024. Willis, a seventh-round pick out of Oklahoma, was the second tight end the team drafted last year following Cameron Latu, whom the team drafted in the third round out of Alabama. While Latu spent his rookie season recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL, Willis got depth experience with some special teams play and minimal snaps on offense.

The team does have some experience at the position in veteran free agent addition Eric Saubert, who can step in if Willis and Latu fail to make an impact during their sophomore campaigns. Local Cal-product Jake Tonges and Furman undrafted free agent Mason Pline serve as under the radar prospects at the position who will likely find their way to the practice squad. Some combination of Willis, Saubert, and Latu will likely be used to replace the backup production lost in Woerner and Dwelley’s departures.

Here are a few more rumors coming out of the Bay Area in recent weeks:

  • San Francisco may have added the complimentary pass rusher across from Nick Bosa that they’ve been looking for this offseason in Leonard Floyd. That signing can be directly attributed to another offseason addition: the hiring of assistant head coach Brandon Staley. Staley worked directly with Floyd in Chicago as the Bears outside linebackers coach in 2017 and 2018 and in Los Angeles as the Rams defensive coordinator in 2020. With Staley’s backing, Floyd became a priority free agent target this offseason for the 49ers.
  • Coming off of a second-team All-Pro season, cornerback Charvarius Ward is entering a contract year with the 49ers. In a recent interview on the Up & Adams show, Ward told Kay Adams that he’s “trying to get that bag.” He’s in no rush, though, as he said he’ll have to have his best year and, hopefully, get paid in 2025. He also shared an encouraging update on his injury status with Adams, telling her that he’ll “be ready for training camp for sure.”

49ers Sign TE Eric Saubert

April 8th, 2024 at 8:19pm CST by Ben Levine

The 49ers made it clear they were looking for tight end depth during their failed pursuit of Brock Wright. The team has found at least a partial answer in Eric Saubert. The 49ers announced today that they’ve signed the veteran tight end to a one-year deal.

[RELATED: Lions Match 49ers’ Brock Wright RFA Offer Sheet]

Saubert has bounced around the NFL since being selected by the Falcons in the fifth-round of the 2017 draft, spending time with nine different organizations through his seven professional seasons. The six-foot-five, 253-pound TE has mostly served as a blocker in the NFL, although he did haul in 15 catches for the Broncos in 2022.

Saubert had stints with the Dolphins, Cowboys, and Texans in 2023. He got into nine games last season with Houston, hauling in three catches while splitting snaps between offense and special teams.

The 49ers have been hunting for tight end depth after they lost backup Charlie Woerner to the Falcons. The team tried to steal Wright away from the Lions, but Detroit ended up matching the three-year RFA offer. Saubert has similar size to Woerner and should be a fine replacement in the blocking role alongside TE1 George Kittle. However, if Kittle goes down with an injury, the 49ers will be eyeing a TE corps that also includes the likes of Brayden Willis, Cameron Latu, and Jake Tonges…a grouping that’s combined for zero NFL receptions.

Texans Place Two On IR, Poach Practice Squad Replacements

October 31st, 2023 at 7:55pm CST by Ely Allen

The Texans were forced to make a pair of acquisitions today when two offensive contributors found their way to the injured reserve list today. With the news that they would place starting center Jarrett Patterson and tight end Teagan Quitoriano on IR, Houston also announced the additions of safety DeAndre Houston-Carson and tight end Eric Saubert.

Thanks to some other injuries along the offensive line, Patterson had assumed a starting role at center. The sixth-round rookie had started all seven games for the Texans thus far, but his new ankle injury will force him to miss at least four games. With second-round rookie Juice Scruggs, trade acquisition Kendrick Green, and Patterson all on IR, Michael Deiter stands to step up in their place.

Quitoriano had also cracked the starting lineup this season, making five starts. With a reputation more as a blocker, the second-year tight end’s absence could combine with Patterson’s to affect the run game. Saubert has had a similar reputation over his seven years in the NFL. He’s spent the first half of this season on the Cowboys’ practice squad, being signed off of it to join the Texans. Dalton Schultz has handled most receiving duties in Houston at tight end. With Brevin Jordan dealing with foot injuries, bringing in Saubert became necessary for depth.

Houston-Carson rejoins the Texans, with whom he spent a couple of weeks on the practice squad to start the year before getting released. The veteran safety spent the first seven years of his career in Chicago as a depth piece and special teamer, making nine starts in his final two years. He appeared in two games for Houston off the practice squad before being released and signing with Baltimore. Baltimore had him active for their past two games with Marcus Williams absent due to injury. He, like Saubert, has been signed off the Ravens’ practice squad to rejoin the Texans.

With Patterson and Quitoriano out, the Texans will have to work a little harder to open some lanes and protect rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud. Adding Saubert should help with the tight end depth, while Houston-Carson brings a familiar face back into the secondary.

Minor NFL Transactions: 10/28/23

October 28th, 2023 at 7:57pm CST by Adam La Rose

Here are the gameday elevations and other minor moves made around the league in advance of Week 8:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Baltimore Ravens

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

Houston Texans

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Wilkinson’s loss will be notable for the Cardinals, given his status as an entrenched starter at the left guard spot. The 28-year-old joined Arizona on a one-year deal worth the veteran’s minimum in free agency after stints in Denver, Chicago and Atlanta. Trystan Colon replaced him in the starting lineup in Week 7, and that will likely continue for the time being. Wilkinson will be out for at least four weeks as a result of the IR move.

Ridgeway has been out since Week 1, his Texans debut. The former 49er joined the Texans in a move which allowed him to continue working under head coach DeMeco Ryans. Ridgeway ended last season on IR, so he will be looking for an extended run of availability in his new home. A veteran of 78 games (and 19 starts), he will aim to carve out a rotational role up front.

Peters was brought in by the Seahawks while they were dealing with injury problems at both tackle spots. Blindside blocker Charles Cross has since returned, so Peters’ most familiar spot will not be available if he is to make his Seattle debut on Sunday. The fact the latter is healthy and in game shape does mean, however, that he will be eligible to play in a 19th NFL season.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/24/23

October 24th, 2023 at 7:44pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

  • Released: CB Quavian White

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Detroit Lions

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/6/23

September 6th, 2023 at 7:45pm CST by Ely Allen

Minor moves from around the league as we prepare for tomorrow’s season opener:

Chicago Bears

Detroit Lions

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Los Angeles Rams

Miami Dolphins

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

  • Waived from IR with injury settlement: LB Vi Jones

Dolphins Reduce Roster To 53 Players

August 29th, 2023 at 10:34pm CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins began trimming their roster yesterday, cutting 14 players. That made today’s daunting task a bit more bearable, but the team still had to cut a number of players to get to the 53-player roster limit:

Released:

Waived:

Waived/injured:

Placed on reserve/PUP:

Placed on IR:

Nik Needham, a 2019 UDFA out of UTEP, has spent his entire career with the Dolphins, appearing in 51 games (27 starts). He started five of his six appearances in 2022 before landing on IT in October with a torn Achilles tendon. His placement on PUP means he can’t make his season debut until at least Week 5.

Tight end Tyler Kroft signed with the Dolphins back in May, but the veteran was unable to beat our younger options for a roster spot. Kroft has seen time in 92 career games (52 starts), hauling in 105 catches for 1,081 yards and 13 touchdowns. He spent the 2022 campaign with the 49ers, collecting four receptions in 11 games (four starts).

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