Newly signed lineman Long abruptly retires

Offensive lineman Spencer Long’s tenure with the 49ers was brief.

On Sunday, three days after Long, 29, signed with the 49ers, the team placed the sixyear veteran on the reserve/retired list.

Long, a 2014 thirdround pick by Washington who has started 44 games at center and left guard in his threeteam career, had a chance to start the season as the 49ers’ backup center.

Starter Weston Richburg is on the physically unable to perform list because of a torn patella tendon he suffered in December, and his availability for the season opener Sept. 13 against Arizona is in question. Ben Garland is the starter with Richburg on the shelf, but the 49ers’ backup options are murky.

Daniel Brunskill spent time at center during last year’s preseason, but he is competing with Tom Compton to serve as the starting right guard. Ross Reynolds, a 2019 undrafted free agent who spent last year on the practice squad, is another possibility.

It's not known what promoted Long’s retirement. Long passed the MCATs and was accepted to medical school after graduating from Nebraska with a 3.79 GPA in biological sciences, according to a 2017 story in the Richmond (Va.) TimesDispatch.

Long, who signed a fouryear, $27.5 million deal with the Jets in 2018, spent just one season with New York before playing with the Bills last season. He has earned $15.1 million in his career, according to OverTheCap.com.

Injury report: Wide receiver Jalen Hurd was observed falling while running a route on a side field and staying down for a few minutes. Hurd eventually walked slowly to the locker room under his own power.

The team did not provide an update on Hurd’s status.

Hurd, a 2019 thirdround pick, missed last season with a stress fracture in his lower back that sidelined him in training camp. Before last year’s camp, he missed offseason practices because he was rehabbing from knee surgery for an injury he suffered in college.

The 49ers had been working Hurd back slowly in their first two camp practices. He had been participating in individual drills before working on a field during team work.

Meanwhile, slot cornerback K’Waun Williams did not practice because of a calf injury he suffered Saturday.