The 49ers sign Siran Neal to upgrade their special teams

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers signed former Miami cornerback Siran Neal to a two-year contract Tuesday in the latest move to upgrade their special teams unit.

Neal had 11 tackles and two passes defensed in 17 games last season for the Dolphins when he played mostly on special teams. He has been a solid performer on special teams since entering the NFL as a fifth-round draft pick by Buffalo in 2018.

Improving the special teams has been a priority this offseason for San Francisco after several blunders by the unit contributed to a 6-11 season in 2024.

Coordinator Brian Schneider was fired and replaced by Brant Boyer. The 49ers have also signed several players who have excelled on special teams in their career, including Luke Gifford, Richie Grant, Luke Farrell and new long snapper Jon Weeks.

The Niners also announced that the trade agreed to Saturday that sent running back Jordan Mason to Minnesota was official. San Francisco acquired a 2026 sixth-round pick from Minnesota and flipped picks in next month's draft, getting the 160th overall selection for the 187th.

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