The San Francisco 49ers got creative in managing some tough cuts Sunday afternoon to get down to a 53-man roster, letting go of their punter and long snapper.

But don’t worry, Corliss Waitman and Jon Weeks, neither of whom is subject to waivers, will sign back on Monday as the team continues to tinker with the initial roster.

The 49ers could put only two players — receiver Christian Kirk and offensive lineman Austen Pleasants — on injured reserve with a designation to return before Sunday’s 3 p.m. PT cutdown deadline, as part of their effort to reduce the roster from 90 players to 53. They can make more of those moves starting Monday, with linebacker Nick Martin (hamstring), cornerback Nate Hobbs (groin) and cornerback Ephesians Prysock (shoulder) among the candidates.

Here are our thoughts on the initial 53-man roster, with plenty of transactions still to come.

Rookies in italics

Top Plays from 49ers @ Raiders

Offense (26)Quarterback (3): Brock Purdy, Mac Jones, Kurtis Rourke

Cut: Adrian Martinez

The 49ers kept Rourke — despite his three broken ribs — and cut Martinez. That suggests Rourke has recovered enough to serve as the emergency No. 3 quarterback early in the season. Rourke, in fact, could resume practicing this week, coach Kyle Shanahan said. It also signals that the plan to have Rourke at least compete for the No. 2 role next year, with Jones likely to leave as a free agent, remains intact.

Running back (4): Christian McCaffrey, Kaelon Black, Jordan James, Kyle Juszczyk (fullback)

PUP: Isaac Guerendo

Cut: Sincere McCormick, Khalil Herbert

Putting Guerendo on the reserve/PUP list for the pectoral tear he suffered in the spring means he must miss at least the first four games of the season, though he can resume practicing after Week 2. The 49ers seem as well-stocked at running back as they’ve been in a while. Add Deebo Samuel to the mix, and it ought to reduce McCaffrey’s workload this season.

Wide receiver (6): Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, De’Zhaun Stribling, Demarcus Robinson, Jordan Watkins, Jacob Cowing

Injured reserve (return designation): Christian Kirk

Cut: KhaDarel Hodge, Will Pauling, Wesley Grimes, Malik Turner, Trenton Irwin

The roles seem largely clear-cut: Evans, Samuel and Stribling will be the top three receivers, while Cowing will serve as the punt returner. The only remaining question is: If the 49ers suit up only five receivers in Week 1, like they normally do, who is the odd man out, Watkins or Robinson?

Undrafted rookies Pauling and Grimes could be heading to the practice squad Monday. So could Hodge, who stood out on special teams this summer and could be someone the 49ers elevate when the coverage units need a boost.

Tight end (4): George Kittle, Jake Tonges, Luke Farrell, Brayden Willis

Cut: Khalil Dinkins, Hayden Rucci

That the 49ers kept a fourth tight end in Willis seems like a hedge against Kittle’s Week 1 availability. Kittle has a chance to play against the Rams but has acknowledged he won’t rush it if he’s not ready. Look for Dinkins, a blocking specialist the team is excited about, to return to the practice squad if he’s not snapped up on waivers.

Offensive line (9): LT Trent Williams, LG Carver Willis, C Jake Brendel, RG Dominick Puni, RT Colton McKivitz, OT Vederian Lowe, C/G Jarrett Patterson, G Connor Colby, OT Enrique Cruz Jr.

IR (return designation): Austen Pleasants

IR: Brett Toth, Nick Zakelj

Cut: Robert Jones, Brandon Parker, Drake Nugent, Isaac Alarcon, Doug Kramer Jr.

Sunday’s news that the 49ers were releasing Jones was a bit of a surprise. But it made more sense minutes later when the 49ers finalized a trade for Patterson, sending next year’s seventh-round pick to the Houston Texans. Patterson, who turns 27 on Tuesday, has experience at guard and center, and the 49ers needed a backup at both spots considering Toth’s lingering concussion symptoms. Patterson spent the 2023 and ’24 seasons under then-Texans offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik, who runs a version of Shanahan’s offense. That suggests the newcomer won’t have a steep learning curve.

The 49ers also put Pleasants (knee) on injured reserve with a designation to return. That means they think Lowe will return from his high-ankle sprain in time to serve as the backup tackle in Week 1. If not, that job falls to the rookie, Cruz. Toth, who has been dealing with concussion symptoms for more than three weeks, can play this season only if the 49ers reach an injury settlement with him.

Defense (26)Defensive line (9): DE Nick Bosa, DT Osa Odighizuwa, DT Alfred Collins, DE Romello Height, DE Keion White, DE Sam Okuayinonu, DT CJ West, DT Gracen Halton, DT James Thompson Jr.

PUP: Mykel Williams

Cut: DT Sebastian Valdez, DT Bryson Eason, DT Evan Anderson, DE Ogbo Okoronkwo, DE Quinton Bell, DE Viliami Fehoko Jr., DE Jah Joyner

Thompson, out of Illinois, wasn’t drafted because of his odd build, the story went. Niners right tackle Colton McKivitz said the first time he saw Thompson, he thought he was an offensive lineman. But Thompson quickly made an impression with his ability to get low and move people out of his way. Halton, a fourth-round rookie, also had a very good camp and preseason, so the 49ers are going with five defensive tackles.

Bosa, meanwhile, would ideally return to practice Monday with the tendinitis in his surgically repaired knee feeling better, or the Niners will have some serious issues with their pass rush.

Linebacker (7): Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw, Jaden Dugger, Nick Martin, Garret Wallow, Luke Gifford, Tatum Bethune

Cut: Deion Jones, Larry Worth III, Jalen Graham

Wallow and Bethune both made the 53, and this is one of the deeper units on the team, although at least one of this group could still be headed for a stint on IR. It will be interesting to see how much coordinator Raheem Morris throws Dugger into the fire against the Rams in the opener. Worth, a tall converted safety with long arms, is a candidate for the practice squad.

Cornerback (6): Deommodore Lenoir, Renardo Green, Upton Stout, Jack Jones, Ephesians Prysock, Nate Hobbs

Cut: Darrell Luter Jr., Eli Apple, Jakob Robinson

Green (hamstring), Prysock (shoulder) and Hobbs (groin) are battling injuries, so we’ll see if the 49ers claim a cornerback on waivers, and whether one of those three will hit injured reserve. Hobbs has not practiced since mid-August, Green was injured in the second preseason game and Prysock went down in the finale. Any of the three guys who were cut could be back on the practice squad, as well.

Safety (4): Ji’Ayir Brown, Marques Sigle, Malik Mustapha, Siran Neal

Cut: Ashtyn Davis, Jalen Stroman, Patrick McMorris

Neal was one of the key players behind the special teams unit’s breakthrough season a year ago, and that clearly means something. He also played outside cornerback in the preseason finale, showing his versatility. Davis made a late push but came up short. Mustapha missed most of camp with a hamstring injury but was moving well while working with trainers on Tuesday.

Special teams (1)PK Eddy Piñeiro

Cut: P Corliss Waitman, LS Jon Weeks

Good thing Piñeiro hit six field goals on Thursday night …