The San Francisco 49ers released veteran cornerback Jack Jones on Wednesday after a rough outing in their first loss of the season.
The move cleared space on the 53-man roster for defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, whom the team reacquired from the Indianapolis Colts in a trade for a 2027 fourth-round pick.
“The 49ers have released veteran CB Jack Jones, who has played in 20% of their defensive snaps this season,” The 33rd Team’s Ari Meirov reported.
“The 49ers released CB Jack Jones to make room on the 53-man roster for DeForest Buckner,” NBC Sports NFL reporter Matt Maiocco wrote.
The 49ers fell to 6-1 after a 29-20 defeat to the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Atlanta scored 23 consecutive points at one stretch and forced four turnovers in the upset at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Buckner, the 49ers’ first-round pick in 2016, returns after seven seasons with the Colts. He has four sacks this year and has long been one of the league’s more productive interior linemen.
Jones, 28, saw increased snaps against the Falcons with nickelback Upton Stout sidelined. He was eventually benched for rookie Ephesians Prysock.
“Jack Jones in coverage against the Falcons: 17 coverage snaps, 5 targets, 4 catches allowed, 39 yards allowed, 2 penalties, 99.2 passer rating when targeted, 26.7 coverage grade,” Coach Yac wrote on X.
“Jack does well during training camp and preseason, but when the games count, he’s terrible.”
Jones has appeared in seven games this season and recorded 11 tackles with three pass breakups and no interceptions. Opposing quarterbacks have targeted him frequently when he is on the field, and his Pro Football Focus coverage grade sits at 27.7.
The 49ers signed Jones to a one-year deal worth about $1.2 million in April after he started all 17 games for the Miami Dolphins in 2025. He previously played for the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders.
Jones entered the league as a fourth-round pick by the Patriots in 2022 out of Arizona State. He has eight career interceptions, including four returned for touchdowns, but has also dealt with off-field issues that led to his release by New England midway through 2023.
Releasing Jones will save the 49ers money, as his contract carried little in the way of remaining guarantees beyond a modest signing bonus. He is a vested veteran who could land elsewhere or return to a practice squad.
The 49ers enter their bye week at 6-1 with Buckner joining a defense looking for more consistency up front.
