The 49ers on Saturday placed defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos on injured reserve, making him ineligible for at least the next four games.
San Francisco activated defensive lineman Kalia Davis from the injured reserve list and elevated another defensive lineman, T.Y. McGill, from the practice squad to compensate for the loss of Gross-Matos.
The 49ers also elevated veteran wide receiver Trent Taylor from the practice squad. Taylor would take over on punt returns if Jacob Cowing is unable to play Sunday. Cowing is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury.
Linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles is out for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals with a calf injury, and wide receiver Chris Conley is doubtful due to an oblique injury.
The 49ers appear optimistic that linebacker Fred Warner and tight end George Kittle will be available for action against the Cardinals. The team listed both players as questionable on its official injury report.
The 49ers listed Gross-Matos as out for the Week 5 game. The specifics of his injury are not known, but the earliest he could return to action would be after the bye week, Nov. 10 at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gross-Matos has appeared in three games for the 49ers during the 2024 NFL season. He has played 81 snaps of defense and was counted upon to see significant action as an inside pass rusher in nickel situations with defensive tackle Javon Hargrave out for the season with a torn triceps.
The 49ers opened the practice window for Davis this week after he sustained a knee injury during the first preseason game that required surgery. Davis has appeared in just three games since the team selected him in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
McGill has been in the NFL since 2015. He played nine games for the 49ers in 2022 and three games last year. He and Davis are set to make their season debuts as rotational players on the 49ers’ defensive line.
Taylor is expected to make his official return to the field for the 49ers. He appeared in 41 games with the organization from 2017 to 2020 while being the team’s primary punt returner during that time.
After Taylor played three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals, he re-signed with the 49ers in the offseason. Cowing opened the season as the team’s return specialist while Taylor claimed a spot on the practice squad.