What to expect from this linebacker the 49ers just claimed off waivers

Don't overlook this move.

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The San Francisco claimed Garret Wallow off waivers after he was released by the Denver Broncos earlier in the week. The corresponding move was placing Ben Bartch on the IR, so the team added a linebacker without letting one go. It makes it worth wondering what will happen at the position 

What the San Francisco 49ers should expect from Garret Wallow

To start the season the season the 49ers had Fred Warner with Tatum Bethune behind him, and then Dee Winters with Nick Martin behind him. Then, Luke Gifford played the SAM role and was a special teams asset. 

With Warner out, Bethune started, and Curtis Robinson moved into the backup role. With Bethune out, Robinson started, and they called up Jalen Graham over the past two weeks. However, the team only has three practice squad call-ups before they have to sign a player to the active roster, so the team decided to save Graham on the practice squad by adding Wallow. 

Wallow has 669 career special teams snaps, and 132 were this season. He is a five-phase special teams asset, and he played on the Denver special teams as recently as Week 13. He can jump in this week and play special teams. 

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However, on defense, he has typically been the weakside linebacker, or the WILL. Beyond that, the 49ers signed Eric Kendricks, whose veteran experience will likely get the start over Curtis Robinson. This makes sense because they do have a player to call up since it will not be Graham. Robinson is a core special teams player, so he would go back to that role as a backup. 

However, that likely means that Wallow would be taking the special teams snaps and the backup role that Nick Martin typically plays. This means there is a chance that Martin is inactive. 

Connor Colby was inactive last week, but with Bartch out, he will likely get a helmet this week. Wallow replaced Bartch and may get the nod with his experience. If they are going to call up Kendricks, they are either going to be thin at another position and make someone else inactive, or they will be making Martin inactive this week. 

Martin suffered a concussion against the Cleveland Browns and appears to still be in the concussion protocol coming out of the bye week. The 49ers appear to be worried that he will not play, or at the least they may be comfortable giving him an extra week to get healthy.