49ers expected to sign 4 players to practice squad before Week 1 opener vs. Rams

As teams around the NFL finalize their 53-man roster, they must also build out their practice squad. The San Francisco 49ers have now identified four players they expect to join that unit.

Defensive end Ogbo Okoronkwo, tight end Khalil Dinkins and wide receivers KhaDarel Hodge and Wesley Grimes are all expected to join San Francisco’s practice squad, via Matt Barrows of the Athletic. All four will be looking to prove they deserve a spot on the active roster sooner rather than later.

Other teams have opportunities to poach players off of practice squads. So each player’s spot in the NFL could come outside of San Francisco. Still, the fact the 49ers signed them shows they’re still valued by the organization. And for the players, they believe the franchise could still offer a clear path to playing time.

Hodge spent the 2025 season with the Atlanta Falcons, catching three passes for 31 scoreless yards over 12 games. He is more of a special teams contributor though, where he was a Pro Bowler in 2024. As for Grimes, he signed with the 49ers as an undrafted free agent in 2026 and will look to continue developing with San Francisco. The same goes for fellow 2026 UDFA Dinkins.

Okoronkwo is the most established of the newest practice squad additions, appearing in 81 games over his seven years and winning a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams. Overall, the pass rusher has made 132 tackles, 38 quarterback hits and 17 sacks. If injuries were to arise, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Okoronkwo on the active roster again.

While plenty of hype is put on the initial 53-man roster, plenty of things will change throughout the 2026 season. Because of that, you could see any of these four players eventually suiting up on gameday.

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