49ers can solve depth issue in key area by targeting two players on waiver wire after final roster cuts

The San Francisco 49ers have unveiled their initial 53-man roster , but they are far from done making moves.

Indeed, the makeup of the roster will change significantly in the coming days, with the Niners likely set to bring back some players who did not make the cut and explore the possibility of adding others who missed out on the initial rosters of rival teams.

With injuries on the defensive line biting for San Francisco, there are two players set to hit the waiver wire who would be of great help to the 49ers.

The 49ers will be 31st in the waiver order, which is set using the standings from last season.

DE KJ Henry

The 49ers had an interview with Henry, the fifth-round pick of the Washington Commanders in 2023, prior to that draft.

Former 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters, who now runs the show in Washington, has decided to move on despite Henry recording 10 pressures in preseason, per Pro Football Focus.

Henry doesn’t boast many of the athletic traits for which the 49ers typically look in their edge rushers, but he does possess intriguing lateral quickness and an ability to dip around the edge, while he can also win to the inside shoulder of tackles.

For a team that has seen its depth on the edge dented by an injury to Yetur Gross-Matos and a seemingly less serious injury to Leonard Floyd, a claim for Henry would be wise, even if there are 30 teams ahead of the 49ers in the queue.

DT Jowon Briggs

Despite being selected in the seventh round this year, Briggs did not make the Cleveland Browns' initial 53-man roster.

The Browns will surely be keen to stash him on their practice squad, but Briggs' attributes should attract enough interest to end their hopes.

Briggs possesses tremendous upper body strength and power, while he also has experience of playing on the interior and off the edge during his time in college at Cincinnati.

With a distinct lack of interior line depth following a knee injury to Kalia Davis that required surgery, Briggs would address a clear need by giving the Niners another option at defensive tackle behind starters Javon Hargrave and Maliek Collins.

On top of that, his inside-out versatility could be a significant aid given the aforementioned injuries at edge rusher.

The 49ers have already taken one defensive tackle from the Browns this offseason, signing Jordan Elliott in free agency. Now they would be smart to pounce on a questionable roster cut on Cleveland's part.

Related: The six most surprising roster cuts by the San Francisco 49ers that hardly anyone saw coming