49ers Release Khalil Herbert After 15-Day Training Camp Cameo

The San Francisco 49ers are releasing veteran running back Khalil Herbert, officially bringing an end to an era that lasted exactly 15 days. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the move on Monday, sending Herbert back to the open market before he even had time to memorize the local coffee shop menu.

San Francisco originally signed the 28-year-old back on August 2 as a pure survival tactic. With Jordan James dealing with fractured ribs and guys like Isaac Guerendo and Kaelon Black banged up, the 49ers just needed a warm body who knew how to hold a football during training camp drills.

"Adam Schefter reported: '49ers are releasing veteran RB Khalil Herbert.'"

Getting signed as an emergency camp body and cut before the preseason even wraps up is a tough beat. It is the NFL equivalent of being invited to a wedding just to fill a seat at table 14, only to be asked to leave before the open bar starts.

Herbert has been on a wild ride over the last couple of seasons. After starting his career with the Chicago Bears, he bounced to the Cincinnati Bengals and then the New York Jets in 2025, where he managed a grand total of 16 carries for 52 yards in seven games.

For the fantasy football sickos who threw a late-round dart at Herbert hoping he might stumble into some of that patented Kyle Shanahan rushing production, it is time to let go. You can safely drop him back into the waiver wire abyss where he belongs.

This quick release tells us the 49ers are likely getting healthier in their backfield, or at least healthy enough that they no longer need to hoard veteran depth. As for Herbert, he is back on the workout circuit, looking for his fifth team in three years before Week 1 kicks off.