When everything seemed set for the final San Francisco 49ers roster cuts, major news popped up. The 49ers and Jimmy Garoppolo agreed to a revised deal, making him the highest-paid backup quarterback in the league. Although this certainly helps the team this year, it most likely affected San Francisco's plans since Garoppolo was almost a guaranteed trade or waiver.
Following the negotiations with Jimmy G, the 49ers made their final roster cuts on Tuesday. The team decided who will be part of the new San Francisco team, now commanded by second-year quarterback Trey Lance. While most of the cuts were expected, others might come as surprises.
With that being said, here are the three most shocking cuts the 49ers made for their 53-man roster in 2022.
3. CB Tariq Castro-Fields
Out of the nine picks the 49ers made in the 2022 NFL Draft, only two will not be part of the 53-man roster. Defensive tackle Kalia Davis out of UCF will most likely miss the entire season recovering from a knee injury, so the team placed him on the injury reserve list. One draft selection, Tariq Castro-Fields, was a part of the 49ers roster cuts.
Selected out of Penn State in the sixth round, the cornerback started in 30 out of the 52 collegiate games he played. He totaled 138 tackles with 93 solo tackles, 10 tackles for loss, three interceptions, 25 pass breakups and a forced fumble. In three preseason games for San Francisco this month, Castro-Fields had 10 total tackles, with eight being solo. He also had one pass deflection.
His release comes as a surprise because the team selected him in the draft. Although the apparent plans were to bring him back to the practice squad, the Washington Commanders quickly claimed Castro-Fields off waivers. He should have a bigger role in Washington as a member of their 53-man roster. Since the team is still in a transition period, young players could see more action than usual.
If Castro-Fields plays well in the 2022 season, the 49ers might regret waiving him without even giving him a chance in the regular season. Washington might have a steal in the works, and it only cost them a waiver claim.
2. WR Malik Turner
Perhaps the main wideout that was still battling to avoid the 49ers roster cuts was Malik Turner, and he certainly made a good impression in the preseason.
In three games, he had six receptions for 66 yards. His best game came against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 2. He caught the ball twice for 26 yards, the third-most yards on the team. One of those catches was on a big third down that gave the 49ers a fresh set of downs. But his biggest impact came on special teams, mainly forcing a fumble on a punt return attempt by the Vikings. He also added two solo tackles.
Not only that, but Turner has some NFL experience that goes beyond the 2022 preseason. In 41 regular season games, he has 29 receptions for 414 yards and four touchdowns. He also registered two solo tackles, which he matched in just the game versus Minnesota recently.
His two-way impact could have helped him a bit, but it was not enough to secure a roster spot. Since he can play in multiple units, some other teams around the league might consider bringing Turner once they also make some other cuts or trades. San Francisco might even keep an eye on him in case they need more versatility down the line.
1. QB Nate Sudfeld
If there was one player that suffered the most with Garoppolo's new deal with the 49ers, that player is Nate Sudfeld. His main competition was to be Lance's backup, but in the end, he ended up being one of the players to be named in the 49ers roster cuts.
In three preseason games this year, Sudfeld completed 26 out of his 38 pass attempts for 254 yards. He also had two touchdowns against one interception.
For his career, the quarterback has appeared in a total of four regular-season games since 2016. All with the Philadelphia Eagles, Sudfeld is 25 for 37 in his pass attempts for 188 yards. He has one touchdown and one pick. Additionally, he was a member of the Super Bowl LII squad, giving him a ring despite his limited time on the field.
Since the 49ers have Garoppolo back, they decided to keep 2022 MR. Irrelevant Brock Purdy as their third-string quarterback. Since third quarterbacks rarely play, they decided it was best to keep the rookie and develop him instead of locking veteran Sudfeld on the roster without playing.
Apparently, it was the best decision for both parties. Sudfeld quickly agreed to a deal with the Detroit Lions to be Jared Goff's immediate backup since they waived both David Blough and Tim Boyle. In the end, Sudfeld comes out as a winner, but things would have been very different if Garoppolo did not stay in San Francisco.