Former Billings Senior High and Montana Grizzly wide receiver and special teams player Junior Bergen has been signed to the San Francisco 49ers practice squad. He and former Montana State Bobcat defensive lineman Sebastian Valdez were waived on Tuesday as San Francisco cut the team down to 53.
On Wednesday the players were signed to the 16 player practice squad which provides extra players for team practice and an emergency replacement pool when a roster player for the 49ers is injured. It’s an opportunity for Bergen and Valdez to remain in the league and work toward a spot on the team.
The NFL future of former Butte High and Bobcat quarterback Tommy Mellott is less clear. Mellott was the 6th round draft choice of the Las Vegas Raiders. Mellott was cut by the Raiders on Tuesday. On Wednesday the Raiders did not sign him to the team’s practice squad. At a Raiders’ news conference on Wednesday, General Manager John Spytek said of Mellott: “Ultimately, we made some decisions that didn’t include him, for now.”
Spytek said he talked to Mellott on Wednesday. He said he is a great kid and worked really hard to make it as an NFL wide receiver after being an FCS quarterback and Spytek said how difficult that transition is.
