Latest news with #QuintezCephus
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
49ers sign former Lions WR, release third-year RB
After trading Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders and losing Chris Conley to retirement this offseason, the San Francisco 49ers haven't had the best injury luck at wide receiver to start training camp. Second-year wideout Ricky Pearsall surprisingly started camp on the PUP with a hamstring injury that he's been dealing with since minicamp. Then, on Wednesday, 2024 fourth-round pick Jacob Cowing suffered a hamstring injury of his own just before their first training camp session of the year. Pearsall and Cowing join Brandon Aiyuk, who's recovering from a torn ACL suffered last season, as injured wideouts on San Francisco's roster. To give quarterback Brock Purdy another weapon to target in practice, the 49ers signed wide receiver Quintez Cephus on Thursday. Cephus, 27, played collegiately at Wisconsin from 2016-19 before the Detroit Lions took him in the fifth round (No. 166 overall) of the 2020 NFL draft. He spent three seasons in Detroit, catching 37 passes for 568 yards and four touchdowns in 22 games. Since then, he's had short stints with the Buffalo Bills, Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams, but he hasn't played in a game since 2022. To make room for Cephus on the roster, San Francisco released running back Israel Abanikanda. The 22-year-old running back played at Pittsburgh from 2020-22, where he earned All-ACC and All-American honors in his final season. The New York Jets took Abanikanda in the fifth round (No. 143 overall) of the 2023 NFL draft, and he rushed for 70 yards on 3.2 yards per attempt and caught seven passes for an additional 43 yards in six games as a rookie. The 49ers claimed him off waivers in December after the Jets released him, but he never appeared in a game for them. San Francisco's running back room now includes Christian McCaffrey, Isaac Guerendo, Patrick Taylor Jr., 2025 fifth-round pick Jordan James and undrafted rookie Corey Kiner. More 49ers: This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers sign WR Quintez Cephus, release RB Israel Abanikanda
USA Today
4 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Wisconsin football wide receiver signs one-year contract with 49ers
Former Wisconsin Badgers' standout wide receiver Quintez Cephus signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday. To accommodate Cephus on the roster, San Francisco's front office waived running back Israel Abanikanda, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The move marks Cephus' first NFL opportunity since he suited up for the Houston Texans before the 2024 regular season. Cephus now joins a wide receiver room headlined by Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Ricky Pearsall, Demarcus Robinson and Equanimeous St. Brown. The departure of former star wide receiver Deebo Samuel to the Washington Commanders appears to have shifted general manager John Lynch's attitude at the position, prompting the 49ers to take a low-risk flyer on Cephus. Similar to his move with San Francisco, Cephus signed with Houston in July 2024 before the preseason. There, he flashed his offensive ability with six catches for 40 yards in three contests. Despite his strong performance, the Texans opted to release the former Badger before finalizing their 53-man roster. Before the stop in Houston, Cephus laced up with the Buffalo Bills in early 2024 and the Detroit Lions from 2020-23. He totaled 35 catches for 553 yards and four touchdowns during his first two professional campaigns before missing 2022 with an injury and 2023 due to a gambling suspension. Nonetheless, Cephus has displayed his ability to contribute as a pass catcher. During his tenure in Madison, the wideout reeled in 93 catches for 1,496 yards and 13 touchdowns in 37 appearances. In 2019, he accounted for a career-best 59 receptions for 901 yards and seven touchdowns. During the 2020 season with Detroit, Cephus lined up behind Marvin Jones and Danny Amendola as the team's No. 3 wide receiver. The one-year deal with San Francisco indicates that Cephus could contribute as a depth wide receiver. The 49ers are seeking a return to playoff contention, something the former Badger has yet to do as a professional. San Francisco begins its preseason on Aug. 9 against the Denver Broncos. Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
