The Colts sent the 49ers a defensive tackle Wednesday and took one Friday
Indianapolis, which took a 2027 fourth-round pick for DeForest Buckner on Wednesday, put Givens on its 53-man roster Friday. San Francisco's practice squad drops to 16 of 17, and that one spot is the only opening on a roster whose 53 is full.
Indianapolis signed Kevin Givens to its 53-man roster on Friday, taking him off the 49ers' practice squad. The league's transaction wire lists it as a free-agent signing dated Oct. 30, and the Colts announced it on social media, per 49ers Webzone. They are the same club that sent DeForest Buckner to San Francisco on Wednesday for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
The week's business between the two clubs is now one defensive tackle in each direction. Only one side paid a draft pick.
Who Givens was on this roster. He signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent on May 3, 2019, according to the club's Oct. 27 release, and played 71 regular-season games for them over seven seasons, with 14 starts, 95 tackles and 8.0 sacks. He added nine postseason games. This season he played once, against Arizona in Week 3 after an elevation on Sept. 26, and made two tackles.
His 2026 ran in short stretches. San Francisco waived him on Aug. 5, signed him to the practice squad on Sept. 1, released him from it on Oct. 24 and signed him back on Oct. 27. Three days later he left for a 53-man spot elsewhere. 49ers Webzone dated his return Oct. 24. The club's release has him let go that day and signed back Oct. 27.
The count. The practice squad limit is 16 players plus one international exemption, which is Isaac Alarcon's spot. With Givens gone the squad holds 16, so one regular spot is open. The active roster is still 53 of 53.
Four defensive linemen remain on the practice squad: Viliami Fehoko Jr., Naquan Jones, Ogbo Okoronkwo and McKinnley Jackson. Three of them, Fehoko, Jones and Okoronkwo, were released or waived from the 53 in October and signed back to the practice squad within three days each time, per the club's releases. The active roster carries 10 defensive linemen, Buckner included.
Bosa, per Lynch. John Lynch told Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area that getting injured players back will shape any move before the Nov. 10 trade deadline, as quoted by 49ers Webzone on Friday.
"We're hopeful that we'll get Nick Bosa back after the bye," Lynch said. "Obviously, that's a game changer for you. That affects our entire team, let alone our defensive line."
Bosa has missed games with knee and calf injuries and was on the list of eight players Kyle Shanahan said on Oct. 26 had a chance to return after the bye. He never left the 53, so his return costs no roster spot.
Lynch did not rule out another trade, and did not promise one. "Do we need to do anything, because we've got a pretty darn good team?" he said, and later: "And next year's draft is real important, too."
Next. The 49ers are off this week and play Las Vegas at Levi's Stadium on Nov. 8. Demarcus Robinson and C.J. West, the two names on Shanahan's list who are on injured reserve, each still need a spot on the 53. The open practice squad spot is not one they can use.
