The 49ers cut ties with Jalen Hurd on Thursday. The former third-round pick has run into extensive injury trouble and never made his regular-season debut with the team. The 49ers waived Hurd with an injury settlement.
Hurd, 25, generated frequent offseason hype, but the ex-Tennessee and Baylor contributor could not avoid injuries. He spent the full 2019 and ’20 seasons on IR, and the 49ers placed the wide receiver hopeful on IR to start this year as well.
San Francisco chose Hurd 67th overall in 2019, doing so after he’d compiled a unique college resume. Hurd saw time ahead of Alvin Kamara as a Volunteers running back, rushing for nearly 1,300 yards for the SEC squad in 2015. He scored 14 touchdowns that year. Hurd transferred to Baylor and played as a wide receiver in 2018, amassing almost 900 yards for the Bears that year. He played in at least 12 games in three of his four college campaigns but could not stay on the field in San Francisco.
A back injury cost Hurd his rookie season two years ago, and after he recovered, an ACL tear sidelined the 6-foot-3 target in 2020. More knee trouble kept Hurd out of action this season.
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