The San Francisco 49ers added another body to a crowded defensive line this week, signing former Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive end Jah Joyner to a one-year deal and placing veteran Victor Dimukeje on injured reserve.
The move came after Joyner worked out for the club Wednesday and was first reported late that night. It arrives just as the 49ers close the preseason against the Las Vegas Raiders, the same team that signed Joyner as an undrafted free agent in 2025 and waived him at the end of camp.
Joyner, 25, is a 6-foot-4, 261-pound edge rusher from Danbury, Connecticut. He spent five seasons at Minnesota, appearing in 43 games and finishing with 66 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, nine pass breakups, four forced fumbles and 14.5 sacks.
Twelve of those sacks came in his final two years, including a team-high 7.5 as a junior in 2023. He earned honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2023 and 2024.
After going undrafted in 2025, Joyner spent training camp with the Raiders and played in the preseason before being released.
He landed in the UFL in 2026, first with the Dallas Renegades and then the Houston Gamblers after a midseason claim. In 10 games with Houston he recorded 31 tackles and a half-sack. He also worked out for the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this summer.
San Francisco has been active on the edge in the final week of camp, also signing former Cowboys draft pick Viliami Fehoko. Nick Bosa remains the cornerstone of the group, but depth has been tested by injuries and roster churn.
Dimukeje, a 2021 sixth-round pick who signed with the 49ers on Aug. 17, had 70 tackles and 4.0 sacks across 60 NFL games with Arizona and the New York Giants.
Placing him on IR before the 53-man cutdown likely ends his 2026 season unless the sides reach an injury settlement.
For Joyner, the signing is another chance to stick on an NFL roster. He ran a 4.60-second 40-yard dash at the combine and showed length and burst that once projected him as a mid-round pick. The 49ers now have a few practices and Thursday’s preseason finale to evaluate whether he can earn a practice-squad spot or more.
The timing is tight. Roster cuts loom, and San Francisco’s defensive front will need contributors who can rush the passer and set the edge.
Joyner’s college production, particularly those 14.5 sacks in a Big Ten scheme, is the calling card he will try to turn into an NFL opportunity in red and gold.
