Heads have already started to roll at the San Francisco 49ers. Entering the final third of the regular season, management appears to be starting an end-of-year cleanup and has let go of one of their most recent additions, receiver Ronnie Bell.

The Niners are going through a frustrating season. After playing in Super Bowl LVIII, the team is in last place in the NFC West Division with a record of five wins and six losses.

In one of the closest divisions in the NFL, San Francisco still has hope of making the postseason. However, that will depend on the good performance of all its pieces, and clearly, management does not think Bell is giving what they need to achieve the goal.

Ronnie Bell’s departure

In a statement on their website, the 49ers announced without further ado that they had released Bell. The receiver was the 253rd pick in the 2023 Draft, and in his two years with the squad, he only participated in 26 games, catching eight passes for 90 yards.

In 2024, he played in nine games with two receptions for 22 yards. Bell’s biggest contribution was on special teams, but even there his numbers were modest. This season he participated in only 13 games in this department, with a peak of six snaps in Week 10.

Bell’s absence could be temporary, as the team could claim him from the waiver list within a week. However, his numbers make it unlikely that head coach Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff would want to bring the player back.

The ups and downs of the 49ers

“Inconsistency” is the word that best describes the Niners’ season. Quarterback Brock Purdy hasn’t been able to establish himself as the team’s leader, and a couple of nagging injuries haven’t helped his performance either.

The rest of the team isn’t any better, winning the toughest game one week and losing to a relatively easy opponent the next. Bell’s departure won’t do anything to remedy that situation, but it may be a sign of bigger changes to come.