49ers waive former third-round draft pick Thomas from IR

The 49ers officially parted ways with cornerback Ambry Thomas on Tuesday, waiving the 2021 third-round draft pick who worked his way into the starting lineup as a rookie. Thomas sustained a fractured forearm in the 49ers' preseason opener and was placed on injured reserve at the start of the season. He has been cleared to play but the 49ers did not have a spot open for him on the team's 53-man roster. Thomas now is available for any team through the NFL's waiver system. Thomas, 25, appeared in 42 games with 11 starts over his three seasons with the 49ers. He earned the starting job as a rookie over Deommodore Lenoir and started five regular-season games and two playoff contests. Thomas' overtime interception of Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford clinched a playoff spot for the 49ers in the final game of the 2021 regular season. Thomas ended his first season on a high note but he admitted to being unprepared for Year 2. "I felt the (2021) season ended up pretty well for me," Thomas told NBC Sports Bay Area in August 2023. "But going into last season, I didn't set myself up good. I kind of felt like it was going to be given to me because I started in the playoffs and...