49ers claim DE Takkarist McKinley off waivers

Defensive end Takkarist McKinley is receiving a second chance at a second chance. 

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport (h/t Adam Maya) reported on Wednesday afternoon that the San Francisco 49ers were awarded McKinley, an Oakland native, off waivers. The Cincinnati Bengals waived the 25-year-old on Tuesday after he failed a team physical. 

Cincinnati first claimed McKinley off waivers from the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 11.

McKinley fell out of favor with the Falcons this fall as he dealt with a lingering groin injury that caused him to miss multiple games. The first-round selection from the 2017 NFL Draft wasn't much of a force when on the field, as he recorded one sack and eight total tackles in four games with Atlanta. 

He then irritated interim coach Raheem Morris by tweeting about a desired exit from the organization both before and after the Nov. 3 trade deadline. The Falcons reportedly fined McKinley an undisclosed amount for the social media outbursts and then waived him on Nov. 9. 

It's understandable the Niners would take a flier on McKinley as a short-term rental. He showed plenty of promise when he accumulated 13 sacks over his first 31 regular-season appearances, and he's playing for his next NFL contract because the Falcons declined his fifth-year option in the offseason.

Before anything, though, McKinley must first pass a physical.