49ers make roster shakeup with one-year deals for Khalil Herbert and Titus Leo, plus moves involving Eli Apple and Mikail Kamara

The San Francisco 49ers announced a set of roster moves on Monday, adding RB Khalil Herbert and DL Titus Leo to one-year deals while clearing space by waiving CB Eli Apple and waiving/injured DL Mikail Kamara. The transactions report the team’s continued focus on building out camp depth at two high-importance positions, the backfield for offensive balance and the defensive front for rotational options.

Herbert’s signing brings an experienced running back into the 49ers’ offseason and training-camp competition. As a one-year addition, the deal fits a common roster strategy in the preseason window: add a proven option who can contribute immediately on short-term opportunities while the team evaluates its broader depth chart. For San Francisco, it also gives the coaching staff another look at how Herbert’s skill set can be used in pass-heavy and run-support phases.

Titus Leo’s one-year contract adds another arm to the defensive line rotation. Defensive line depth tends to be tested early and often in camp and the preseason, with snaps and matchups used to sort out the pecking order. Leo’s signing suggests the 49ers are looking to preserve flexibility across the interior and edge-adjacent roles, especially as they evaluate who can stay productive through the long grind of a season.

To make room for the new contracts, San Francisco waived Eli Apple, a cornerback move that reflects how quickly the top of a roster can change during the summer. Waivers do not guarantee a specific outcome, but the decision generally indicates the 49ers are adjusting their competitive layout at corner, whether that means opening spots for other defensive backs, leaning into different coverage assignments, or simply rebalancing the numbers.

The team also waived/injured Mikail Kamara on the transaction side. Designating a player as waived/injured typically affects how the player’s status will be handled during the waiver process, and it can be part of roster management when a player is dealing with health concerns. The immediate impact for the 49ers is clearing a roster spot while navigating the league’s injured-reserve and waiver mechanics.

Taken together, the 49ers’ moves outline a clear theme for the early offseason. They are not only adding new possibilities at RB and DL, but also refining the competitive mix in the defensive backfield and handling the roster implications of an injured defensive lineman. For fans, the most meaningful next step will be how these additions and exits change day-to-day competition in camp, particularly how Herbert and Leo fit into the first and second units during practice.

As always with preseason and roster-transition timelines, the practical meaning of these transactions is best judged by what the team does with reps. The 49ers can sign and waive players at any point in the offseason cycle, but performance in practice and preseason games determines whether those additions become long-term contributors or short-term depth options. Monitoring subsequent transaction activity and the first meaningful live-action opportunities will provide the clearest picture of who has won the jobs the team is prioritizing.