49ers urged to sign five-time Pro Bowler to give Brock Purdy another weapon - Yahoo Sports
Dec 10, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; A San Francisco 49ers helmet sits on the field before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco 49ers are moving on from veteran wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling after a brief five-game stint.

Per Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team, the 49ers waived Marques Valdes-Scantling with an injury settlement from the injured reserve. The move comes a day before they host the Atlanta Falcons on ‘Sunday Night Football.’


Valdes-Scantling landed on the injured reserve with a calf injury, which would have sidelined him for the next four games. The banged-up 49ers will get Pro Bowl tight end George Kittle back on Sunday, but starting QB Brock Purdy (toe injury) and star wideout Ricky Pearsall (knee) will be sidelined again.

The 49ers still don’t know when All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk will return from injury, either. The 27-year-old is recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last October against the Kansas City Chiefs.

In five games with the 49ers, Marquez Valdes-Scantling caught four passes for 40 yards, per Pro Football Reference. He split the 2024 season with the Buffalo Bills and New Orleans Saints, catching 19 passes for 411 yards and four touchdowns.

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Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images)

The 31-year-old Valdes-Scantling had his best statistical season with the Green Bay Packers in 2020, catching 33 passes for 690 yards and six touchdowns. That year, his 20.9 yards per reception led the league.

Valdes-Scantling signed with the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2022 offseason, joining a rebuilt WR room that included JuJu Smith-Schuster and rookie Skyy Moore. Valdes-Scantling won back-to-back Super Bowl championships with the Chiefs in 2022 and 2023, before getting released in a cap-saving move.

Given his “deep threat” abilities and championship experience, Valdes-Scantling should be an attractive target to several NFL teams when he’s recovered from his injury.