The 49ers designated eight players for PUP and NFI lists, while the Packers signed T Anthony Belton and Seahawks rookies practiced.

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The latest global News roundup highlights significant developments in the world of sports, particularly in American football. As of 2025-07-19 00:23:00, teams are making crucial roster decisions, impacting their future performances.

5 Key Takeaways 49ers announce PUP and NFI designations.

Packers sign offensive tackle Anthony Belton.

Jake Bates’ journey to Lions’ rising star.

Seahawks rookies practice at Virginia Mason Center.

L.E.A.D. hosts summer BBQ event.

The San Francisco 49ers announced PUP and NFI designations for eight players, signaling strategic moves ahead of the season. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers have signed T Anthony Belton, adding depth to their offensive line.

Fast Answer: Key NFL teams are adjusting their rosters, with the 49ers and Packers making impactful signings and designations that could influence their upcoming seasons.

As teams finalize their rosters, one might wonder: how will these changes affect their performance this season? The decisions made now can shape the trajectory of each franchise. Consider these points:

Injuries and designations can significantly alter team dynamics.

New signings often bring fresh talent and competition.

Strategic decisions reflect a team’s long-term vision.

Fan engagement may shift based on roster changes.

These roster adjustments are critical as they resonate beyond the field, influencing fan engagement and team strategies worldwide.

As the NFL season approaches, fans should stay tuned for updates, as these roster decisions could lead to thrilling matchups and unexpected outcomes.

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The San Francisco 49ers have announced injury designations for eight players ahead of the start of training camp, including key names like wide receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Ricky Pearsall.

As expected, Aiyuk will begin camp on the active/physically unable to perform (PUP) list as he continues to recover from the ACL and MCL injuries he suffered in October 2024. His rehab timeline has been consistent throughout the offseason.

However, the inclusion of first-round draft pick Ricky Pearsall on the PUP list comes as a surprise. Pearsall had been dealing with what was initially believed to be a minor hamstring injury during the offseason program. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had previously stated the rookie wideout was expected to be cleared in time for training camp.

Another notable designation is offensive lineman Ben Bartch, who will begin training camp on the active/non-football injury (NFI) list. Bartch is considered the frontrunner to replace Aaron Banks as the team’s starting left guard following Banks’ departure in free agency.

Of course, any player on an injury list can be activated at any point once cleared to practice.

The good news is that safety Ji’Ayir Brown, who has been recovering from an offseason ankle procedure, is not among the players starting training camp on an injury list. That signals he is cleared to practice.

Players placed on the PUP list:

Gross-Matos missed time during the 49ers’ offseason program due to a knee injury. Dillard underwent an ankle scope earlier this offseason, while Mustapha is still recovering from the ACL injury he sustained in the 2024 season finale.

Players placed on the NFI list:

OL Ben Bartch

S George Odum

The 49ers will look to get these players back on the field as quickly as possible, but for now, they’ll begin training camp sidelined as the team prepares for the 2025 NFL season.

Earlier this week, the 49ers placed rookie quarterback Kurtis Rourke on the NFI list.

Juggling rosters has become an art form for NFL general managers.

Between injuries during training camp and the regular season, constant evaluations of a team’s current players and keeping an eye on other teams’ players who could become available, it seems there’s constant shuffling by GMs looking to improve their roster.

Teams enter training camp with a maximum of 90 players who work through long, hot practices trying to prove they should be among the 53 that make the active roster heading into the regular season.

But there are other roster designations that fill the NFL’s transaction wire daily. What do they all mean?

Injured reserve

Players are put on the reserve/injured list — more commonly referred to as IR — when they have a football-related injury and need to miss at least a few weeks. Players on IR don’t count against the active roster, but their salaries count against the cap.

If a player is placed on this list before the regular season begins, he could miss the entire season unless — per a rules adjustment this year — they are designated to return during the roster cutdown to 53 players after training camp. Teams can designate up to two such players to return.

Players on IR need to miss a minimum of four games. NFL teams can designate up to eight players to return from IR during the regular season (and up to 10 if they make the postseason) and an individual player can be so designated twice.

Players designated for return from IR before the season count against a team’s eight- or 10-player limit.

When a player is cleared to practice, a 21-day window begins and the player must be activated to the 53-man roster or be placed on season-ending injured reserve at the conclusion of that three-week period. They could also be released or traded.

Physically unable to perform

Players put on the active/physically unable to perform list — or PUP — at the start of training camp have football-related injuries, like those on IR, but count against the active roster.

These players can participate in all team activities other than practice and can be activated at any point during camp when they are medically cleared.

A player can’t be placed on the PUP list after he has practiced once or played in a preseason game.

Players on the active/PUP list could be moved to the reserve/PUP list during roster cutdowns. If placed on the reserve/PUP list, a player wouldn’t count against the active roster and must sit out the first four games.

If a player is placed on the reserve/PUP list before final cutdowns, he will miss the season.

Non-football injury/illness

Players can be placed on this list if they are injured outside of football — perhaps working out in the offseason or doing a recreational activity — or have a long-term illness not associated with playing.

Rookies still recovering from injuries suffered in college often are placed on the active/NFI list to start their pro careers.

If a player remains on NFI after the final roster cutdowns, they can be placed on the reserve/NFI list and will sit out four games. They don’t count against the 53-man roster limit.

Reserve/suspended

Players who are suspended by the NFL for violating league rules are placed on this list and don’t count against a team’s roster limit.

What’s the difference between being waived and being released?

Players with less than four seasons of accrued NFL time are waived, meaning they are subject to waivers and can be claimed by other teams. If they go unclaimed after the 24-hour waiver period, they become a free agent.

Players with four or more seasons accrued are considered vested veterans and are not subject to waivers, so they immediately become free agents when they are released. This is the case until the NFL trade deadline in October, when all players regardless of their veteran status are subject to waivers.

Players can also be waived/injured, which means they can be claimed by another team or revert to their original team’s IR list after the claiming period. The team can then decide whether it wants to move forward with the player or release him with an injury settlement.

What is the practice squad?

Teams can form practice squads after final cuts. Starting this season, NFL teams can have up to 17 players on their practice squad — one more than in recent years — as long as one player is part of the league’s International Player Pathway program. (Those players have a primary residence outside of the United States or Canada).

While most players on the practice squad are rookies or have limited playing experience, six of the 17 can be veterans with no limit on the amount of seasons they have accrued.

Players on the practice squad participate in practice during the regular season, but don’t play unless they’re elevated to the active roster before a game. Players can be elevated a maximum of three times in a season.

The NFL and NFL Players Association agreed to slightly altered injured reserve rules for the 2024 season that will allow teams to “designate for return” an additional two players in the postseason, alongside the already permitted eight players in the regular season, per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

If a team hasn’t designated any players for return during the regular season, it could do so for up to 10 players in the postseason. If it has hit its eight-player limit during the regular season, it would only be granted two additional designations in the playoffs. In essence, the limit is 10 total designations between the regular season and postseason, with the cap of eight during the regular season.

Players can be designated for return up to twice in a season, but each instance counts against the team’s total allocations.

When a player is put on injured reserve, they don’t count against a team’s 53-man roster. Previously, if they were put on IR before the season begins, they were lost for the year. However, up to two players can be designated for return on the final roster reduction day, which will count against a team’s eight total return designations during the regular season.

The two postseason designations are new, as are the two allowable designations for return on roster cutdown day.

When players are designated for return, they must remain on injured reserve for at least four games. After a player is cleared to practice, they have a 21-day window to return to the active roster or they will be put on season-ending injured reserve.

The IR list is not the same as the active/physically unable to perform list, or PUP. Players under that designation remain on the active roster during training camp and are able to do any team activities outside of practicing or playing in games.