SANTA CLARA — Safety Chanceller James’ bid to survive the 49ers’ final cuts came to a premature end for a second straight summer.
James got waived Tuesday after battling back from a knee injury in last year’s training camp last year as an undrafted rookie.
The 49ers needed his roster spot to make room for Humboldt State product Ja’Quan Gardner, who’ll fill in on an injury-depleted running back corps in Thursday’s exhibition finale against the Los Angeles Chargers. Gardner (5-foot-7, 205 pounds) ran for 5,495 the past four years for the Lumberjacks.
Running back became a temporary need considering the 49ers are expected to sit out their top three running backs — Jerick McKinnon, Matt Breida and Alfred Morris — until the Sept.