49ers clear the QB3 spot, releasing Adrian Martinez and elevating Kurtis Rourke

The San Francisco 49ers have made a clear call on their third quarterback spot. According to Yahoo Sports, the team released quarterback Adrian Martinez on Saturday, a move that effectively opens the door for Kurtis Rourke to secure a place on the 53-man roster as the team’s No. 3 quarterback.

For the 49ers, the QB3 role is more than just a roster designation. In a league where injuries can arrive quickly, the third quarterback is often the difference-maker in preserving offensive continuity, especially on short weeks or when a starting quarterback needs time. With Martinez out, San Francisco is left with the top two quarterbacks it has been evaluating all camp, plus a veteran backup plan that now includes Rourke.

Rourke’s path to the roster is tied to his draft status. Yahoo Sports reported that he was selected in the 2025 NFL Draft in the seventh round, and that the current release decision is intended to pave the way for him to make the 53-man roster. That matters because seventh-round picks can be both developmental and immediate depth, and QB3 is one of the clearest on-field opportunities for a young passer to gain experience.

The timing also reflects the way NFL roster construction tends to tighten as preseason ends. Teams generally use the final days of training camp and the last roster cut window to make calls on who gives them the best balance of readiness and skill set. A decision on QB3 typically comes when the coaching staff believes it has seen enough to understand who can operate the offense in real game conditions, not just in practice reps.

While Yahoo Sports frames Rourke’s promotion as the next step in San Francisco’s QB3 planning, the announcement is still best viewed as a roster-management move rather than a declaration about who will start. The No. 3 quarterback job, by nature, is about preparedness and reliability if called upon, not about taking on the weekly quarterback workload.

What to watch next is how the 49ers’ depth chart completes its final form. With Martinez released, Rourke’s standing will likely depend on how he handles the details that separate spot duty from full trust, including command of the offense, timing decisions under pressure, and the ability to execute the game plan quickly if a quarterback is unavailable.

If the 49ers’ third-quarterback plan is indeed built around Rourke, that will also influence how the team uses the final preseason week and practice reps. Coaches often protect the rhythm of the top two quarterbacks while focusing their evaluation on how the third option can be integrated smoothly into run-pass patterns and situational packages.

The Martinez release, however, does not necessarily tell the entire story of the quarterback competition for the top two spots. It is a separate decision point that, for now, clarifies only the QB3 picture and reduces uncertainty about who will be available behind the leaders when the roster locks. For fans, that is the immediate takeaway, and for the team, it is one more piece of the roster puzzle completed before the regular season.