San Francisco 49ers running back Trey Sermon survived roster cutdown day, but that turned out to be just a 24-hour reprieve.

The 49ers waived Sermon on Wednesday, just one season after selecting him in the third round of the 2021 NFL Draft. Sermon, limited by injuries, rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown in nine games (two starts) for the Niners last season. He had gained nearly 3,000 yards in college, averaging 6.5 yards a carry for Oklahoma and Ohio State (2017-2020).

Elijah Mitchell, selected in the sixth round out of Louisiana in 2021 – three rounds later than Sermon – has become the established starter after gaining 963 yards and five touchdowns, averaging 4.65 yards a carry in 11 regular-season games last year.

The Niners will go with Jeff Wilson Jr., rookie Tyrion Davis-Price and undrafted rookie Jordan Mason behind Mitchell. Mason led the Niners in rushing (94 yards, 4.9 yards per carry) in the preseason.

–Field Level Media