49ers make moves — and hold practice — two weeks before season opener

SANTA CLARA — Cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. didn’t sense anything different Monday, even though the 49ers held their final open practice before their roster must be shaved to 53 players on Tuesday.

“At the end of the day, everybody knows how it is in the NFL. Everything is a business,” Luter said.

Although roster cuts are underway, business has yet to pick up for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk or left tackle Trent Williams. Their contract stalemates are holding steady two weeks before the regular season opens against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium.

Williams has yet to report and does not count against the 49ers’ roster numbers, at least not until his contract numbers are adjusted enough to lure the three-time All-Pro back into action.

Aiyuk hasn’t practiced with the 49ers since Super Bowl week, and although he watched practices two weeks ago, he’s since been absent. He did accompany the 49ers to Las Vegas for Friday’s preseason finale. Meanwhile, his contract saga added another monstrous measuring stick Monday once the Dallas Cowboys extended their No. 1 receiver, CeeDee Lamb, to a deal paying $34 million annually.

Although coach Kyle Shanahan said Sunday that the “unknowns” of Aiyuk and Williams could influence how the 49ers reach the 53-man limit Tuesday, a spirited and sweaty practice ensued Monday over 90 minutes in their first padded session in over a week.

One of Monday’s top plays saw Luter intercept Josh Dobbs, a reminder that the second-year cornerback made an end zone interception Friday against the Raiders on a fourth-down play in the closing minutes. Such play-making ability gives Luter reason to speak confidently as roster cuts began around him.

“You know within yourself what you’ve done and put out on tape,” Luter said. “We treated this day like a normal day, just like another work day. Tomorrow will take care of itself, and don’t worry about that.”

After missing camp last year with a knee injury, Luter has impressed this past month, saying: “It’s been going pretty good, not going to lie. Can’t complain, based off of how went from last year to now.”

Last season ended with a Super Bowl loss to Kansas City, and Luter played an infamous role in it when a punt ricocheted off his foot as he tried to block for would-be returner Ray-Ray McCloud. The Chiefs recovered that football to help spark their comeback and overtime win.

“It was crazy. It definitely was a hard pill to swallow,” Luter said. “I looked back at it a couple of times, even after the fact to see what I could have done better, whether it was my fault or not, to see what I could do better.”

MONDAY’S CUTS

Running backs Matt Breida and Ke’Shawn Vaughn were released ahead of practice, leaving Christian McCaffrey’s potential backups for now as Elijah Mitchell, Jordan Mason, Isaac Guerendo and Patrick Taylor Jr. San Francisco also waived punter Pressley Harvin III, offensive lineman Lewis Kidd and wide receiver Jontre Kirklin.

Breida and Vaughn were added almost three weeks ago after injuries decimated the 49ers’ running back corps. McCaffrey has not practiced since an Aug. 4 calf strain, but the reigning NFL rushing champion has looked spry doing individual conditioning in recent weeks.

Mitchell (hamstring), Mason (hip), Guerendo (hamstring) and Taylor (foot) also battled injuries in camp. Guerendo made his 49ers debut Friday night and delivered a 93-yard kick return along with 11 carries for 32 yards.

Breida, who led the 2018 49ers in rushing amid his 2017-19 tenure, did not show the same speed and production as his first term. He had 15 carries for 29 yards. Vaughn had just two carries for 12 yards. Harvin excelled in the preseason as a temporary replacement for Mitch Wishnowsky, who was sidelined by a knee issue.

INJURY UPDATES

Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (shoulder) returned to team drills while in a non-contact jersey.

Wide receiver Jauan Jennings (oblique) and cornerback Isaac Yiadom (ankle) returned to take part in positional warmups, as did right guard Spencer Burford, who made a cameo in team drills.

Still out but conditioning on a side field were McCaffrey (calf), guard Aaron Banks (left hand) and wide receiver Danny Gray.

Out were linebacker defensive ends Leonard Floyd (knee) and Yetur Gross-Matos (knee), safety George Odum (ankle) and linebacker Dee Winters (ankle). Floyd watched practice without any brace on his knee.

Safety Talanoa Hufanga and linebacker Dre Greenlaw remained out of practice and on the Physically Unable to Perform list.

PRACTICE HIGHLIGHTS

— Defensive end Robert Beal Jr. lined up in place of Floyd and Gross-Matos opposite Bosa on the first-string unit, while safety Malik Mustapha remained in the starting lineup in place of Odum and Hufanga. Mustapha broke up two passes with tight coverage.

— Linebackers Curtis Robinson and Jalen Graham delivered harder-than-usual hits, and Fred Warner’s ever-active presence saw him nearly intercept a pass while often executing catch-and-release tackles of running backs.

— Deommodore Lenoir intercepted a Brock Purdy pass that got tipped.

— Rookie linebacker Tatum Bethune was helped off the field by Warner after an apparent lower-leg injury.