The San Francisco 49ers are adding defensive tackle Naquan Jones from the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad as they deal with limited depth at the position. Rookie James Thompson Jr. is expected to miss time because of a high-ankle sprain, sports.yahoo.com reported Sept. 23.
Jones, who is listed at 6 feet 3 inches and 313 pounds, played 177 defensive snaps for the Houston Texans and Los Angeles Chargers in 2025. He previously spent two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals and began his NFL career with the Tennessee Titans.
Sumer Sports credited Jones with 13 tackles and two missed tackles last season. He also produced 13 impact plays, two quarterback pressures and a 3.3% pass-rush win rate over those 177 snaps. His run-stop rate was 4.8%.
The 49ers hope Jones can provide enough interior resistance to help keep linebackers Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw free from blockers while injured players return. If he performs well, the source says he could earn a larger role on a roster with limited defensive-tackle depth.
