Even the most die-hard fan can lose track of the comings and goings of players on the training camp roster throughout the preseason. It doesn't help cut out any of the confusion when players who were waived at one point in the preseason are re-signed days or weeks later.
That is what has happened with the San Francisco 49ers, as a wide receiver who was released at the beginning of training camp has been brought back to the Bay Area to compete for a spot ahead of the team's final preseason game.
After releasing Demone Harris and Corey Kiner, the Niners have signed offensive lineman Michael Dunn and brought back former Green Bay Packers wideout Malik Knowles after San Francisco waived the receiver on July 31.
#49ers signed Michael Dunn and Malik Knowles to one-year deals., released Demone Harris and waived/injured Corey Kiner.
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 20, 2025
Ex-Packers WR Malik Knowles Gets Re-Signed by Team That Just Cut Him
After a standout collegiate career at Kansas State University, two-time All-Big XII selection Malik Knowles went undrafted in 2023. Following one season spent on the injured reserve of the Minnesota Vikings, Knowles joined Green Bay's practice squad during the 2024 campaign but was never elevated to the active roster.
The Packers ultimately moved on from Knowles in November 2024. He remained unsigned until the Niners added him to the fold in June before training camp opened. That partnership ended on July 31, though, and it would have been reasonable to think that the chapter of his story in the Bay Area had ended.
In the words of Lee Corso, not so fast, my friend. Wednesday afternoon, the 49ers brought Knowles back on a one-year deal. Wide receiver has been an issue for San Francisco throughout camp; this is no secret. Bringing Knowles back now doesn't signal that he is going to make the final roster by any stretch. It does show that there was at least something about his game that piqued the interest of John Lynch and the front office.
The former Packers wide receiver will have one final opportunity to put his skills on display for the Niners and the rest of the league when San Francisco takes the field for their preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers at Levi's Stadium on Saturday night.