The San Francisco 49ers announced on Monday that DL Jordan Willis has been activated from the Reserve/Suspended List and will be granted a one-week roster exemption. The team also signed S Tony Jefferson II to the team's practice squad.
Jefferson (5-11, 211) originally entered the NFL after signing with the Arizona Cardinals as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2013. Throughout his seven-year career with the Cardinals (2013-16) and Baltimore Ravens (2017-19), he has appeared in 98 games (66 starts) and registered 434 tackles, 22 passes defensed, 8.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries and four interceptions (one returned for a touchdown). Jefferson has also started four postseason contests and added 34 tackles and two passes defensed. He was released by the Ravens on February 14, 2020. Jefferson signed with the 49ers on June 7, 2021, and was later released by the team on August 23.
A 29-year-old native of Chula Vista, CA, Jefferson attended the University of Oklahoma for three years (2010-12) where he appeared in 40 games (34 starts) and registered 258 tackles, 18.0 tackles for loss, 13 passes defensed, eight interceptions and 7.0 sacks. As a junior in 2012, he earned Associated Press Second-Team All-America honors after finishing with a team-high 119 tackles.
