49ers Reunite With WR Dante Pettis

San Francisco is reuniting with Dante Pettis, per NFL insider Jordan Schultz, eight years after selecting him in the second round of the 2018 draft. The seven-year veteran will join the team’s practice squad, per NBC Sports’ Matt Maiocco.

The 49ers entered the season with questions about their receiver depth, and injuries have raised concerns further. Ricky Pearsall underwent season-ending knee surgery in August, and Christian Kirk opened the year on injured reserve due to a calf injury, leaving him unavailable until at least Week 5. Rookie De’Zhaun Stribling and veteran Demarcus Robinson have since landed on IR with ankle injuries, and Mike Evans also left Sunday’s win over the Cardinals with a rib injury.

Pettis, 30, was one of several free agents to work out for the 49ers on Tuesday, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. The team signed Brandin Cooks to the practice squad last week, and Pettis gives them another experienced option who is already familiar with Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

Pettis’ best season came as a rookie in 2018, when he caught 27 passes for 467 yards and five touchdowns in 12 appearances. However, he fell out of the 49ers’ offensive picture over the next two years, catching just 11 passes in 2019 and none in five games in 2020 before the 49ers waived him that November. Pettis has since bounced around the league, spending time with the Giants, Bears and Saints, primarily as a depth receiver and return man. He has 92 receptions for 1,231 yards and 13 touchdowns in 66 career games, including nine catches for 127 yards in eight appearances with New Orleans last year. Pettis signed with the Bills during training camp this summer but was released during roster cuts in August.

Former 49ers wideout Malik Turner and Brenden Rice, the son of franchise legend Jerry Rice, also auditioned for the receiver-needy team. Rice, 24, was a Chargers seventh-round pick in 2024 and appeared in three games as a rookie. He has spent time on multiple practice squads sinced and was most recently waived with an injury designation by the Packers in July. Brady Boyd and Quentin Skinner were also part of the group.

Cornerback Corey Ballentine was among the defensive backs at Tuesday’s workouts. The 30-year-old was a Giants sixth-round pick in 2019 and has since been a part of 10 different organizations, including a Jaguars stint this summer. Ballentine has 103 tackles and nine pass breakups in 75 career appearances, but his primary value comes on special teams. Cobee Bryant and Sam Webb also participated in the tryout.

Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson also worked out for the 49ers. The 2023 Browns fifth-rounder went 1-4 as a starter in Cleveland, throwing one touchdown and 10 interceptions in 15 appearances. After the Eagles acquired and later waived him in 2025, Thompson-Robinson played in the UFL this spring, going 3-3 as the Birmingham Stallions’ starter.