49ers add DL Viliami Fehoko Jr. on a one-year deal, release TE Josiah Deguara

The San Francisco 49ers announced Monday they have signed defensive lineman Viliami Fehoko Jr. to a one-year contract and, to create roster space, released tight end Josiah Deguara. The move is the kind of summertime roster adjustment teams use to address positional needs and manage limited spots during training camp and the lead-up to the regular season.

Fehoko Jr.’s addition brings another player with an interior and edge-capable profile into the 49ers’ defensive front, where coach Kyle Shanahan’s staff has typically prioritized versatility and pressure production. A one-year deal also indicates a short-range evaluation window, allowing the team to test fit, performance, and availability in its current scheme without committing long-term.

Deguara’s release, meanwhile, reduces the 49ers’ tight end group. Tight ends in San Francisco’s offense are usually expected to contribute as both pass targets and blockers, and even small roster compressions can force tough decisions about who remains when players at other positions are competing for the final spots.

The team framed the transaction as a roster-management necessity, stating that the signing of Fehoko Jr. required making space and that Deguara was released to do so. That detail matters because it clarifies the “why” behind the roster shakeup. It is not presented as a separate football-season storyline beyond the constraints of the 90-man-to-53-man cut process.

This kind of front-seven and tight end shuffle has ripple effects inside a training-camp depth chart. Adding a defensive lineman can alter how coaches distribute snaps across the front in practice, while releasing a tight end can change the balance of route-running reps and red-zone packages. Even when the team keeps the playbook structure intact, personnel changes often lead to different matchups and different day-to-day emphasis.

For Fehoko Jr., the immediate priority is earning consistent reps and demonstrating he can translate offseason work into reliable snaps in team periods. In a group environment, that often comes down to how quickly he understands assignments, handles run fits, and sustains effort through longer sequences. For Deguara, the release opens the door for an opportunity elsewhere, either as an offseason addition or, if he clears waivers, as a potential reclamation option depending on how other teams value depth at the position.

There are no additional transaction particulars in the team announcement, such as contract figures or guarantees, and the release notice does not provide reasons beyond roster space. What to watch next is whether the 49ers replace the released tight end with another player, how Fehoko Jr. is used in practices, and whether the signing prompts further front-four adjustments before the regular-season roster becomes final.