Nick Mullens to start at QB for 49ers against Raiders
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — Nick Mullens will make his NFL debut as the starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers against the Oakland Raiders.
The 49ers said Mullens will start Thursday night against Oakland after C.J. Beathard injured his right wrist last week. Beathard was unable to do much all week in practice, but will serve as the backup for the game against the Raiders.
Mullens joined the 49ers as an undrafted free agent out of Southern Mississippi last year. He spent all of 2017 on the practice squad and then got called up to the active roster in September when starter Jimmy Garoppolo went down with a season-ending knee injury.
Mullens has not taken an NFL snap and has worked mostly with the scout team in practice before this week.
The players who are inactive for San Francisco are safeties Jaquiski Tartt (shoulder) and Antone Exum (concussion); linebacker Reuben Foster (hamstring); offensive linemen Erik Magnuson and Shon Coleman; receiver Trent Taylor and defensive tackle Jullian Taylor.
The Raiders will have left guard Kelechi Osemele after he missed three games with a knee injury. The inactive players for Oakland are cornerback Rashaan Melvin; linebackers James Cowser and Shilique Calhoun; offensive linemen T.J. Clemmings (knee), Justin Murray and Denver Kirkland; and receiver Marcell Ateman.
The Niners also made several roster moves before the game. They activated safety Marcell Harris and linebacker Dekoda Watson from injured reserve to fill open spots on the active roster. They also promoted cornerback Emmanuel Moseley from the practice squad and waived quarterback Tom Savage.
San Francisco also signed receiver Victor Bolden Jr. and defensive back Greg Mabin to the practice squad and released receiver Aaron Burbridge from the practice squad.