The San Francisco 49ers made a roster adjustment on Wednesday by releasing veteran linebacker Ezekiel Turner to make room for defensive tackle Nick Williams.
Turner joined the 49ers in the offseason on a one-year, $1.15 million deal as an unrestricted free agent. His contract included no guaranteed money, as he was brought in primarily to compete for a spot on special teams.
Turner, who has played in 80 NFL games over six seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, started three games on defense during his career. However, his primary role with the Cardinals was as a key special teams contributor.
The 49ers opted to part ways with Turner due to their depth at linebacker. The group includes standout Fred Warner, De’Vondre Campbell, Dee Winters, Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Jalen Graham, Curtis Robinson, and seventh-round pick Tatum Bethune.
The decision comes as linebacker Dre Greenlaw is expected to miss the first four games of the regular season while recovering from an Achilles tear sustained during the Super Bowl.
The 49ers signed Nick Williams as a free agent following the news that defensive tackle Kalia Davis would miss roughly half of the regular season due to a knee injury that requires surgery.
Williams brings a wealth of experience, having played in 97 games with 48 starts throughout his career. He has accumulated 157 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and 8.5 sacks while playing for teams including Kansas City, Miami, Chicago, Detroit, the New York Giants, and the Los Angeles Chargers.
