The San Francisco 49ers added wide receiver Xavier Smith to their practice squad, signing the former Los Angeles Rams return specialist five days after the Rams waived him, the team announced.
The move continues a busy stretch of roster shuffling at the position. To clear a practice-squad spot, San Francisco placed wide receiver Dante Pettis on the practice-squad injured reserve list.
Smith, 29, is listed at 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds. A native of Haines City, Florida, he played six seasons at Florida A&M from 2017 through 2022, appearing in 33 games with 30 starts.
He finished his college career with 228 receptions for 2,893 yards and 25 touchdowns, along with 20 carries for 96 yards and another score.
He went undrafted in 2023 and signed with the Rams as a free agent on May 1 of that year.
After spending his rookie season on the practice squad, he worked his way onto the active roster and became a regular on special teams.
Across three seasons in Los Angeles, he appeared in 34 games with three starts, catching 20 passes for 309 yards and adding four carries for 36 yards. He also played in five postseason games.
Most of that offensive production came in 2025, when he caught 18 passes for 303 yards with Matthew Stafford under center.
This season the Rams used him mainly as a returner. Through three games he had seven punt returns for 69 yards and seven kickoff returns for 144 yards, without a reception.
Los Angeles waived him on October 2 after evaluating its special-teams production. A day earlier, Rams special-teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone had described Smith’s ball tracking and fielding as inconsistent, while saying the staff was not yet thinking of a replacement.
For the 49ers, the addition is depth insurance more than an immediate lineup change.
San Francisco opened the season 4-0 and has been managing injuries and turnover in the receiver room, recently promoting Brandin Cooks to the active roster and signing Malik Turner to the practice squad.
Smith gives Kyle Shanahan another player with NFL experience who can contribute on returns and, if needed, as a slot option.
Smith will have to earn a call-up. Practice-squad signings of this kind often stay in the background unless injuries force a promotion, but his return background and familiarity with NFC West schemes make him a practical fit while San Francisco sorts out its receiver depth ahead of Week 5.
