The San Francisco 49ers made official three moves on Thursday that had been reported for days: the release of receiver Stevie Johnson and the signing of backup quarterback Blaine Gabbert to a two-year deal and backup tight end Garrett Celek to a one-year contract.
Johnson, whose contract had a cash value of $6.025 million for this coming season, according to ESPN Stats & Information, caught 35 passes for 435 yards and three touchdowns on 50 targets in 13 games for the 49ers, the seven-year veteran's lowest output since his second season.
The arrival of free-agent wideout Torrey Smith made Johnson, acquired last year for a fourth-round draft pick from the Buffalo Bills, expendable.
Gabbert, meanwhile, was the lone 49ers quarterback to throw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass this past season, a 20-yarder to Bruce Ellington with one minute to play and the Niners trailing 42-10 at the Denver Broncos in Week 7.
Mop-up duty against the Broncos was Gabbert's lone action last year as Colin Kaepernick's understudy. He completed 3 of 7 passes for 38 yards and one touchdown.
Celek, meanwhile, began the 2014 season on the physically unable to perform list but played in three games, catching two passes for 53 yards, before a foot injury landed him on injured reserve on Dec. 17.