49ers Sign 14 Players To Reserve/Future Contracts

The San Francisco 49ers signed 14 players to reserve/future contracts as they turn their attention to the offseason following an early playoff exit.

BY SACTOWN SPORTS

Jan 20, 2026, 7:01 PM Updated: 7:03 pm

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The San Francisco 49ers made a move today that won’t light up the highlight shows, but it says a lot about how they’re setting up the 2026 offseason.

The 49ers signed 14 players to Reserve/Future contracts — and every single one of them spent the 2025 season on the practice squad. That’s nothing. These are players the coaching staff already knows. They’ve been in the meetings, in the system, running the drills, and lining up against the main roster in practice.

If the 49ers are bringing them back, it means they saw enough to want another look.

The #49ers today announced they have signed 14 free agents to Reserve/Future contracts.

📰: https://t.co/3NRmASv6HK pic.twitter.com/noXPbnLSNT

— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) January 20, 2026

What do these moves mean for the 49ers?

Reserve/Future contracts are essentially placeholders for the offseason. Once the new league year starts, these guys count toward the 90-man roster. It guarantees they’ll be around for OTAs, training camp, and preseason — where roster spots are actually won and lost. For the 49ers, it’s a way to lock in familiar faces before the shuffle of free agency and the draft.

Look at where these players line up. Offensive line. Defensive line. Linebacker. Secondary. Wide receiver. Quarterback. That tells you the 49ers are thinking about the whole roster, not just one weak spot. Depth matters, especially in the trenches, and especially for a team that expects to be playing meaningful games late in the year.

A few names jump off the page. Eli Apple has real NFL experience. Adrian Martinez brings athleticism to the quarterback room for camp. Malik Turner and Junior Bergen add more bodies to a receiver group that always seems to be changing.

None of this means these guys are guaranteed anything. Most of them won’t make the final roster. But the 49ers are giving themselves options. They’re betting on development, familiarity, and competition. They’re hoping one or two of these players take a step, flash in August, and force their way into the conversation.

This is quiet work. The kind that doesn’t trend, but keeps the 49ers deep, prepared, and dangerous when the season really starts to matter.

Here are the following 14 free agents San Francisco signed to Reserve/Future contracts:

Pos. Name
OL Isaac Alarcon
DL Evan Anderson
CB Eli Apple
WR Junior Bergen
DL William Bradley-King
DB Derrick Canteen
LB Andrew Farmer II
S Darrick Forrest
LB Jalen Graham
QB Adrian Martinez
OL Drake Nugent
OL Brandon Parker
WR Malik Turner
DL Sebastian Valdez