The San Francisco 49ers bolstered their banged-up receiver corps by agreeing to a one-year deal with Marquez Valdes-Scantling after he was cut by Seattle, a person with knowledge of the deal said Wednesday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal has not been officially announced.
The Niners had only two healthy receivers on the 53-man roster following roster cut downs on Tuesday with Ricky Pearsall and recently acquired Skyy Moore.
Valdes-Scantling provides another as well as needed speed on the outside to stretch the field.
The 30-year-old Valdez-Scantling split time last season with Buffalo and New Orleans, recording 19 catches for 411 yards and four TDs. He has 205 career catches for 3,566 yards and 20 TDs in seven seasons that also included time in Green Bay and Kansas City.
Valdez-Scantling’s 17.4 yards per reception for his career rank fourth-best among all players with at least 200 catches since 1990.
Valdez-Scantling's biggest production came in Green Bay and Kansas City where he was a dependable deep threat for Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes. He also had some big postseason performances with 24 catches for 406 yards and four TDs in 11 playoff games. He caught a TD pass from Mahomes against the 49ers in Super Bowl 58 when he helped Kansas City beat San Francisco 25-22 in overtime.
The Niners had major questions at receiver following cutdown day. Demarcus Robinson was suspended for the first three games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and Brandon Aiyuk will miss at least the first four weeks on the physically unable to perform list recovering from knee surgery.
Jauan Jennings has missed almost all of camp with a calf injury and is also seeking a new contract. Jacob Cowing is expected to miss at least the first month with a hamstring injury and rookie Jordan Watkins has been out with an ankle injury but could return soon.
The 49ers open the season against at Seattle on Sept. 7 with Valdes-Scantling going up against the team he was on for the entire offseason.
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FILE - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling warms up during practice at NFL football minicamp, June 10, 2025, at the team's training facility in Renton, Wash. (AP Photo/John Froschauer, File)
DALLAS (AP) — Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg was ruled out for the second half of a 118-109 loss to Denver on Wednesday night after the No. 1 pick sprained his left ankle in the first half Wednesday night.
Flagg was called for a foul while defending against Peyton Watson, and turned the ankle as he fell to the floor with 6:01 left in the second quarter. Flagg limped to the bench and continued to the locker room, but returned for the final 2:35 before the break.
The 19-year-old didn't come of the locker room for the second half before the announcement that he was out for the game. Flagg injured the same ankle two nights earlier, leaving briefly to get it taped before returning and leading Dallas with 27 points in a 113-105 victory over Brooklyn.
“He stepped on someone’s foot,” coach Jason Kidd said. “Last game, he twisted his ankle, too. We decided to hold him (out) for the second half.”
Kidd said he didn't know if Flagg, who wasn't available to reporters after the game, or center Daniel Gafford would play the second game of a back-to-back against Utah on Thursday night. Gafford was ruled out during the second half against Denver with a right ankle sprain that has bothered him most of the season.
Flagg was playing his 40th game, three more than his only season as a Duke standout when he led the Blue Devils to the Final Four as The Associated Press men's player of the year.
Flagg missed just one game in the first 41 of the Mavericks, due to an illness in November. The Rookie of the Year contender is averaging 18.8 points and 6.3 rebounds.
Before Gafford exited, the Mavericks were already without their top two frontcourt players in 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and young center Dereck Lively II. Davis is expected to be sidelined about six weeks with ligament damage in his left hand, and Lively is out for the season following foot surgery.
“This is a hard time for us,” Kidd said. “We have had a lot of injuries. … We have been hurt since day one of training camp. This is the norm. The character has been displayed in tough times of being down. But we keep fighting.”
AP NBA: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NBA
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg walks on the court after briefly leaving to the locker room during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) shoots a basket against Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (32) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg leaves the court and heads to the locker room during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, right, goes up for a basket against Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
