49ers Re-Sign Adrian Martinez to Practice Squad, Reinforcing QB Depth for Stretch Run
The San Francisco 49ers are leaning into familiarity as they gear up for the final leg of the 2025 season, bringing back quarterback Adrian Martinez to the practice squad in a move that’s more strategic than splashy.
Martinez is no stranger to the 49ers’ facility-or their playbook. This marks his second stint with the team this season and his third overall return to the practice squad.
The 49ers signed him on Wednesday after he was released by the New York Jets just a day earlier. His time in New York was brief, lasting less than a week, and now he’s back in the Bay Area, where he already knows the system and has a locker waiting for him.
To understand why this move matters, you have to look beyond the surface. Martinez may not be a household name, but his journey this season has been emblematic of the chess game NFL teams play with roster spots, injuries, and depth needs-especially at the quarterback position.
The 49ers first brought Martinez aboard in late August after final roster cuts, following a previous stint with the Jets. He quickly became a valuable piece of the puzzle, not because he was expected to take over under center, but because he understood Kyle Shanahan’s offense and could step in without disrupting the rhythm of the room.
That value became especially clear in early October, when Martinez was promoted to the active roster. At the time, Mac Jones was starting while Brock Purdy continued to recover from a turf toe injury that lingered longer than expected. When Purdy aggravated the injury in Week 4, Martinez was thrust into the role of Jones’ primary backup and held that spot for six weeks.
He didn’t see game action, but his presence gave the 49ers something every contending team craves in December: stability. In a quarterback room that had already seen its share of movement, Martinez was the steady hand in meetings, on the sideline, and in practice.
Once Purdy returned in Week 11, the 49ers released Martinez but re-signed him to the practice squad shortly after. That move was short-lived, too. San Francisco had to make room when rookie Kurtis Rourke’s 21-day practice window opened on December 8, and Martinez was the odd man out again.
Now, with Rourke still waiting to be activated and the December 29 deadline looming, the 49ers have opted to bring Martinez back-again. And that decision speaks volumes.
It suggests the team wants a known, reliable option in the quarterback room, just in case. If either Purdy or Jones were to miss time down the stretch, Martinez is someone the coaching staff trusts to step in and keep the offense on track.
He’s still a developmental player at heart, an undrafted free agent who entered the league with the Detroit Lions in 2023 after a college career split between Nebraska and Kansas State. But Martinez’s value to San Francisco isn’t about upside-it’s about fit.
He knows the playbook, the personnel, and the pace of the building. That makes him a low-risk, high-readiness addition.
In a season where the 49ers have legitimate postseason aspirations, every roster decision is made with January in mind. Bringing Martinez back isn’t just about filling a practice squad spot-it’s about having someone who can step in and keep the train moving if the unexpected happens.
As the playoffs approach, depth matters. And in Adrian Martinez, the 49ers have found a quarterback who brings exactly that-depth, familiarity, and just enough experience to matter when it counts.
