With the release of veteran defensive tackle Quinton Dial, the San Francisco 49ers needed to add a versatile depth piece to their defensive line.
And the 2017 waiver wire provided such an option.
San Francisco used its No. 2 overall waiver claim to land defensive tackle Xavier Cooper — a move first reported by NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero:
The Cleveland Browns waived Cooper, a third-round NFL Draft pick from 2015, as they trimmed their roster down to 53 players.
At 6-foot-4 and 298 pounds, Cooper will likely be asked to fill a primary backup role to second-year defensive tackle DeForest Buckner.