The San Francisco 49ers are beginning to clear roster spots before free agency begins next month. They want to improve on their 6-11 record in 2024.
According to David Lombardi of The San Francisco Standard, the Niners released veteran linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles. Lombardi characterized San Fran’s decision as unusual given that the veteran defender's deal wasn’t set to expire for another month.
In an unusual move, the 49ers have released veteran LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles about a month before his deal was set to expire (he was only under contract through the 2024 season). Allows DFF, a 2019 UDFA who has put in 6 years with the team, an earlier bite at free agency
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) February 18, 2025
In addition to releasing Flannigan-Fowles, the Niners tendered one-year contracts to several players on the roster.
However, if there’s some good news for Flannigan-Fowles, he will get a chance to find a deal before the new league starts next month. The 28-year-old defender has spent the last five years in San Francisco after joining the team as an undrafted free agent in 2019.
Flannigan-Fowles played his college ball at the University of Arizona where he was a safety, but the Niners converted him to a linebacker.
The veteran linebacker was predominantly a special teams player with the 49ers, while also serving as the backup to Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw. Over his five-year career with the Niners, Flannigan-Fowles had 96 combined tackles, six tackles for loss, two pass deflections, an interception, and a tackle for loss.
This past season in San Francisco, Flannigan-Fowles played a career-high 20% of defensive snaps. The veteran linebacker started in three out of the Niners’ first four games before being inactive for Weeks 5 and 6.
Flannigan-Fowles appeared in the Niners’ next five games on special teams before being listed as inactive for Weeks 13 and 14 against the Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears. Given his wealth of experience on special teams, Flannigan-Fowles should receive another opportunity this offseason.
Meanwhile, the Niners have bigger issues to take care of this offseason, including the pending contract extension for Brock Purdy and figuring out what to do with veteran wide receiver Deebo Samuel.