49ers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Returns to full practice Friday
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (knee) practiced in full Friday and doesn't have an injury designation for Sunday's Week 2 matchup with the Vikings.
Gross-Matos didn't play against the Jets in Week 1 due to a knee injury that took place during San Francisco's preseason finale. He began this week as a non-participant in practice before advancing to a limited session Thursday and logging all activity Friday. As such, Gross-Matos appears set to make his 2024 regular-season debut Sunday.
Gross-Matos (knee) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
Gross-Matos missed San Francisco's Week 1 win over the Jets, and he opened this week as a DNP on Wednesday. He was at least able to practice in some capacity Thursday, and his participation in Friday's session will provide a better sense on whether he will play in Week 2 against the Vikings.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Opens week as DNP
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (knee) did not practice Wednesday, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Gross-Matos continues to work through a knee injury sustained Aug. 23 in the 49ers' preseason finale. He has yet to participate in practice since the injury and he was sidelined for the 49ers' Week 1 victory over the Jets on Monday. Gross-Matos will have two more chances to practice Thursday and Friday ahead of Week 2 against Minnesota.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Won't play Monday
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (knee) has been ruled out for Week 1 against the Jets, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Gross-Matos logged back-to-back DNPs to start the week, and his next chance at suiting up will be Week 2 against the Vikings on Sept. 15. With Gross-Matos sidelined, Robert Beal will be called upon to provide additional depth at defensive end Monday behind starters Nick Bosa and Leonard Floyd.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Avoids serious injury
Rotowire
Gross-Matos is considered week-to-week after injuring his knee in Friday's preseason game against Las Vegas, Cam Inman of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Gross-Matos did not return to Friday's game after injuring his knee in the first quarter. Head coach Kyle Shanahan relayed Sunday that the injury isn't severe enough for Gross-Matos to start the regular season on injured reserve, per David Lombardi of The Athletic. However, given the week-to-week designation, Gross-Matos' status for Week 1 against the Jets is up in the air.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Won't return to exhibition finale
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (knee) has been ruled out from returning to Friday's preseason contest against the Raiders, Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Gross-Matos suffered a knee injury in the first quarter and was evaluated in the medical tent. Though he has been deemed out for the remainder of the exhibition game, he looked fine on the sideline, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic, so he may have avoided a serious injury. Fellow defensive end Leonard Floyd also hurt his knee in the contest and was similarly moving around OK later in the game despite being ruled out.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Hurts knee in preseason finale
Rotowire
Gross-Matos suffered a knee injury in Friday's exhibition contest against Las Vegas, Jennifer Lee Chan of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
The injury occurred in the first quarter when Gross-Matos' ankle got stuck as teammate De'Vondre Campbell tackled a ballcarrier. One play later, fellow defensive end Leonard Floyd suffered a knee injury of his own and also had to leave the game. Both players have been deemed questionable to return, though considering the exhibition nature of the contest, it wouldn't be surprising if neither plays another down Friday.
... See More... See Less
49ers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Signs with San Francisco
Rotowire
The 49ers signed Gross-Matos to a two-year, $18 million contract Thursday.
Gross-Matos was the 38th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft by the Panthers but never developed into a top-end pass rusher off the edge in Carolina. He registered just 13 sacks across four seasons, including a career-best 4.5 in 2023. Perhaps new Niners DC Nick Sorensen can get more out of the 26-year-old.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Adds another sack
Rotowire
Gross-Matos logged three total tackles (one solo), including one tackle for loss and 1.0 sacks in Sunday's 26-0 loss to the Jaguars.
Gross-Matos was able to get after C.J. Beathard in Week 17, bringing his sack total up to 3.5 through 11 appearances this season. In the fourth-year pro's 11 appearances, he's recorded 31 total tackles, which includes six tackles for loss. Gross-Matos will look to get after Baker Mayfield in Week 18 and end the Panthers' season on a two-game sack streak.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Questionable with knee injury
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game versus the Falcons.
Gross-Matos popped up on Carolina's injury report Friday after practicing in full Wednesday and Thursday, so he presumably picked up the knee issue at practice during the week. If he can't play in Week 15, one of Amare Barno (illness) or Marquis Haynes would likely start in Gross-Matos' place.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Won't be activated Week 12
Rotowire
Gross-Matos is out for Sunday's game against the Titans.
Gross-Matos' 21-day window to be activated from injured reserve was opened Thursday, but he won't return in Week 12. The linebacker was a limited participant in practice both Thursday and Friday. He will need to be officially activated from IR in order to play in Week 13 against the Buccaneers.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Moving to OLB
Rotowire
Gross-Matos will move to outside linebacker with Carolina transitioning to a 3-4 defense, Steve Reed of the Associated Press reports.
New defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero is transitioning the Panthers from the 4-3 scheme they had been running the past three seasons. Gross-Matos previously was listed as a defensive end, but in the new system the 2020 second-round pick will need to learn to drop back into coverage more often. During his three-year NFL career, Gross-Matos has racked up 106 tackles, 8.5 sacks and two forced fumbles in 43 appearances, playing a career-high 806 defensive snaps in 2022 as he moved into a starting role.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Tending to hamstring injury
Rotowire
Gross-Matos is dealing with a hamstring injury and hasn't been available for OTAs, Jonathan M. Alexander of The Charlotte Observer reports.
Head coach Matt Rhule wasn't able to offer a timeline for Gross-Matos' return to the field. The 24-year-old is a projected starter at defensive end heading into 2022 and will be looking to build off a 2021 campaign in which he notched 28 tackles and 3.5 sacks over 14 games.
Gross-Matos was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday, Aaron Wilson of Sportstalk 790 Houston reports.
Gross-Matos was unable to play in the Panthers' season finale against the Buccaneers, but now that he's cleared protocols, he can return to the team facilities. In his second season, Matos finished with 28 tackles (18 solo), 3.5 sacks, a pass defensed and a forced fumble across 14 games.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Placed on reserve/COVID-19 list
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (illness) was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, Darin Gantt of Panthers' official site reports.
The defensive end likely will be unavailable for Week 18 against the Buccaneers. Gross-Matos will need to clear league protocols before the weekend, and if he can't, Marquis Haynes and Azur Kamara could play larger roles Sunday.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Productive day versus Bills
Rotowire
Gross-Matos finished with five tackles, 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble in Sunday's 31-14 loss to the Bills.
Gross-Matos, a second-round pick last year, enjoyed his most disruptive performance as a pro, hitting opposing quarterback Josh Allen three times and jarring the ball loose once. Although the Panthers weren't able to recover that fumble, with 2.5 sacks Sunday, Gross-Matos matched his entire rookie-year total. The edge defender will now strive to build on his momentum over Carolina's final three contests.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: To miss second straight
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (ankle) is inactive Week 4 against the Cowboys.
No surprises here, as the reserve defensive end entered the week with a "doubtful" tag. The next chance for Gross-Matos to suit up will be a home matchup against the Eagles in Week 5.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Suiting up Sunday
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (shoulder) is active for Sunday's game against the Lions, Bill Voth of the Panthers' official site reports.
Gross-Matos shook off a shoulder injury that kept him limited in practice, and he's expected to start at defensive end for a second straight game. The rookie second-round pick recorded five tackles in his first career start last week.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: In line for first career start
Rotowire
Gross-Matos will log his first career NFL start during Sunday's matchup against the Buccaneers, Jonathan M. Alexander of The Charlotte Observer reports.
With Stephen Weatherly (finger) officially having been placed on injured reserve Saturday afternoon, Gross-Matos garners an opportunity to prove himself at one of the Panthers' defensive end spots. Gross-Matos himself was just activated from IR on Nov. 7, after he was sidelined for three weeks due to an ankle issue. The second-round rookie from Penn State has notched one sack, seven tackles and a forced fumble through five appearances this season.
... See More... See Less
Panthers' Yetur Gross-Matos: Designated for return
Rotowire
Gross-Matos (ankle) was designated to return from injured reserve Thursday.
The second-round rookie landed on injured reserve Oct. 15, and he has sat out each of the Panthers' past three contests as a result. Now having been designated for return, Gross-Matos has a 21-day window to resume practice before the team must either activate him to the 53-man roster or place him on season-ending IR. In four appearances between Weeks 1 and 5, the Penn State product recorded six tackles, one QB hit and one forced fumble on 78 combined defensive snaps.
