Parker HurleyNov 12, 2026
Hurley predicts the 49ers will release Khalil Kareem when Nate Hobbs is activated and cut Brandin Cooks when C.J. West returns, while arguing Sebastian Valdez won't be the one let go and no cornerback will be cut.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Parker Hurley said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromThe first name to get cut when Hobbs gets back is Kareem. When West is healthy, Cooks should get cut.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- These Two 49ers Could Get Cut when Players Return from Injury
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidNov 12
- GradedNov 13
- 1Khalid Kareem to be cut“Hobbs is almost definitely coming back this week, and the name to cut is Kareem... The first name to get cut when Hobbs gets back is Kareem.”
- 2Brandin Cooks to be cut“The 49ers should release Brandin Cooks and Khalil Kareem... When West is healthy, Cooks should get cut.”
- 3Sebastian Valdez to make the roster“They could cut Sebastian Valdez, who would likely be inactive when West comes back. Valdez will likely make it back to the practice squad.”
- 4Brandin Cooks to be 4th on the depth chart“At best, Cooks is the 49ers' fourth receiver.”
- 5Khalid Kareem to stay with San Francisco 49ers“He will also be easy to bring back to the practice squad.”
- 6Availability Calls“If one of Evans or Samuel can return to the lineup, Cooks would have to be inactive in Week 10.”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Khalid Kareem to be cut1 | Roster Spot Calls | 9 weeks on a 53 | 0 | 100 | −150 | |
| Brandin Cooks to be cut2 | Roster Spot Calls | 6 weeks on a 53 | 0 | 100 | −150 | |
| Sebastian Valdez to make the roster3 | Roster Spot Calls | 7 weeks on a 53 | 100 | 100 | 0 | |
| Brandin Cooks to be 4th on the depth chart4 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Khalid Kareem to stay with San Francisco 49ers5 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| “If one of Evans or Samuel can return to the lineup, Cooks would…”6 | Availability Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 6 calls · 1 hit · 2 misses · 3 waiting | 33.3 | 100 | ||||
How each call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naive6 checkable claims — 3 roster spot calls, 1 availability call, 1 depth chart call and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 4 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
3 of 6 have settled so far, averaging 33.3 out of 100, against 100 for a naive guess at the same calls.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
1Roster Spot CallsKhalid KareemSan Francisco 49ers
Khalid Kareem to be cut
What happened9 weeks on a 530Miss · naive 1000this call−100a naive guess=−100worse than naive×1.5difficulty=−150skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- SF
- skill:
- −150
- player:
- Khalid Kareem
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he does not make the 53
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 1.5
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 9
- weeks left when called:
- 9
- first week on the53:
- 1
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 0
2Roster Spot CallsBrandin CooksSan Francisco 49ers
Brandin Cooks to be cut
What happened6 weeks on a 530Miss · naive 1000this call−100a naive guess=−100worse than naive×1.5difficulty=−150skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- SF
- skill:
- −150
- player:
- Brandin Cooks
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he does not make the 53
- accuracy:
- 0
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 1.5
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 6
- weeks left when called:
- 9
- first week on the53:
- 4
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 1
3Roster Spot CallsSebastian ValdezSan Francisco 49ers
Sebastian Valdez to make the roster
What happened7 weeks on a 53100Hit · naive 100100this call−100a naive guess=0better than naive×1.5difficulty=0skillThink this is wrong?How this was scored
- club:
- SF
- skill:
- 0
- player:
- Sebastian Valdez
- season:
- 2026
- claimed:
- he makes the 53
- accuracy:
- 100
- baseline:
- 100
- difficulty:
- 1.5
- the naive guess:
- he was on somebody's 53 last season, so he makes one again
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- weeks on the53:
- 7
- weeks left when called:
- 9
- first week on the53:
- 3
- weeks on the practice squad:
- 2
4Depth Chart CallsBrandin CooksSan Francisco 49ers
Brandin Cooks to be 4th on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
5Trade and Signing CallsKhalid KareemSan Francisco 49ers
Khalid Kareem to stay with San Francisco 49ers
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
6Availability CallsBrandin CooksSan Francisco 49ers
“If one of Evans or Samuel can return to the lineup, Cooks would have to be inactive in Week 10.”
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
- All
The take as a whole
the average of 3 settled calls, each counted once
33.3naive 100
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
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Big Cat picked the Bengals to beat the Falcons in Madrid, the 49ers to handle the Raiders, the Seahawks to bounce back against the Cardinals, and the Bears to beat the Buccaneers by a projected 26-23.Nate Tice · Game Outcome Picks · San Francisco 49ers · Hit 100
Tice picked the Patriots to beat the Packers and also took the Bears, Bills, 49ers and Broncos in their Week 9 matchups.
More roster spot calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Chad Jensen · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Turner · Miss 0
Jensen predicts Daiyan Henley's arrival will cut into Justin Strnad's snaps while Alex Singleton keeps playing virtually every down, and that Denver will return to a three-linebacker rotation after the Week 10 bye. They also expect one of Jordan Turner or Karene Reid — most likely Turner — to be waived to clear a roster spot.Charean Williams · Roster Spot Calls · Odell Beckham Jr. · Miss 0
Williams writes that after releasing Odell Beckham Jr. to open a roster spot for Kirk Cousins, the Vikings will bring them back on the practice squad.Christian Booher · Roster Spot Calls · Anthony Lucas · Miss 0
Booher previews the Lions' Week 9 trip to Miami, predicting Derrick Barnes takes over as the green-dot linebacker in Jack Campbell's absence, Juice Scruggs starts at center, and boldly forecasting Detroit's first defensive touchdown of the season on an Aidan Hutchinson strip-sack recovered and returned by Barnes.Randy Gurzi · Roster Spot Calls · Jordan Hudson · Miss 0
Gurzi predicts the Cowboys' 17-man practice squad, naming each player they expect Dallas to sign, including a surprise addition of released Giants tackle Evan Neal. They also predict Jaydon Blue will be claimed off waivers by another team and that Sam Williams will land elsewhere.David Harrison · Roster Spot Calls · Jaden Bradley · Miss 0
Harrison gives their initial 53-man roster projection for the Washington Commanders: three quarterbacks including Ethan Kalyak Manus, three running backs, four tight ends, six receivers (leaving off De'Ami Brown and Jaden Bradley), nine offensive linemen with Matt Goldman at center, and a defense of six linebackers but only four cornerbacks. They also project Tunstall and Newton going to IR on Monday with De'Ami Brown and Dietrich Wise re-signed, plus a corner-heavy practice squad.