49ers set depth-chart finale at quarterback position, plan to waive Adrian Martinez

San Francisco’s quarterback picture is taking its final shape for 2026. Pro Football Rumors reported that the 49ers plan to waive Adrian Martinez, a move tied to settling the last slot on their quarterback depth chart.

The decision matters because it reinforces the team’s internal hierarchy at the position. Pro Football Rumors’ report frames Brock Purdy as the player who will reprise his role as starter in 2026, keeping the focus on the established top-of-the-depth-chart quarterback rather than adding an additional projected competitor.

With Martinez positioned as the odd man out, the 49ers’ remaining group is expected to be structured around Purdy at the top. The same report also indicates that Mac Jones is still “in the fold” at this time, with the expectation that he would handle another campaign for San Francisco rather than being moved in a trade scenario.

For a franchise, a waiver decision at quarterback is rarely just administrative. It reflects roster math and how the organization weighs development reps, practice squad options, and the likelihood that a deeper room is necessary in-season. Because quarterback snaps are scarce and limited to a handful of players during practices and preseason, teams often prefer to carry a room small enough to maximize quality while still protecting for the unlikely event that their primary starter is unavailable.

The 49ers’ quarterback depth-chart choices also connect to the broader 2026 title picture. Purdy’s expected return as starter suggests the organization is prioritizing continuity at a position where offensive timing and terminology are tightly linked to consistency. Meanwhile, keeping Jones in the group indicates that San Francisco is continuing to evaluate him as a stabilizing option rather than treating him as a pure trade chip at this moment.

As for Martinez, the reported waiver would make him available to the rest of the league, where other teams can look for an emergency solution or a development opportunity depending on their own quarterback situation. Any follow-up will likely come quickly after the waiver process begins, either in the form of new destinations or in how San Francisco rebalances the rest of the roster around the quarterback room.

What to watch next is whether the 49ers follow through on any additional quarterback-related moves beyond Martinez, and whether the team’s reported “in the fold” status for Jones stays consistent as preseason roster decisions and final practice-squad planning approach.

Any transaction details that go beyond the initial report, such as the exact timing of the waiver action or any subsequent claims, would need confirmation through team or league transaction records. Until then, the clearest takeaway is that San Francisco is choosing stability at the top with Purdy and trimming the depth-chart number down to match its preferred structure for 2026.