SANTA CLARA – Keoin White, sporting No. 56 on his new 49ers jersey, began a light jog Wednesday mere minutes after finalizing his trade from New England.

On the far side of the 49ers’ training complex, fellow defensive end Clelin Ferrell warmed up for practice in a No. 96 jersey.

After registering no sacks last game and with no productive pass rushers in their midst, they held a casting call that’s yielded both a trade for White off the Patriots’ bench and a reunion with Ferrell from their 2023 squad.

“We need D-linemen with all our guys injured,” coach Kyle Shanahan said before Wednesday’s practice.

White and Farrell will help, but don’t go summoning memories of Fred Dean’s 1981 arrival that ignited the 49ers’ first Super Bowl run. Giants rookie quarterback Jaxon Dart is still not in imminent danger when the 49ers (5-3) visit New York (2-6) on Sunday (10 a.m. PT kickoff).

But Farrell, a 17-game starter on the 49ers’ 2023 team, insists that a winning culture remains here. He felt that immediately upon Tuesday’s tryout.

“When I first got here, it felt like home,” Farrell said Wednesday. “There’s a lot of new people in the house, but the cooking is still the same.”

White’s trade was finalized before Wednesday’s practice but he is not expected to debut on those fields until Thursday, conjuring up memories of 2022 when Christian McCaffrey was rushed into action a couple days after his trade.

“He can play D-end and rush inside, so he’s a versatile guy,” Shanahan said of White.

A 2023 second-round pick by Patriots, White opened last season with four sacks in the first two games, but added just one more the rest of the season. This season, he didn’t fit in new coach Mike Vrabel’s defensive picture, and after no sacks through 123 snaps, he was a healthy scratch last Sunday.

The 49ers sent a sixth-round pick in return, and they’ll also acquire a seventh-rounder unless White appears in seven games, NFL Network reported.

Ferrell was a 17-game starter in 2023 for the 49ers, before that so-called meaningless 17th game resulted in a knee injury, shelving him from their postseason run to the Super Bowl. “It’s a learning experience,” Ferrrell said. “It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond.”

Ferrell spent last season in Washington, which cut him in late August, and the only game he’s played this season was a 17-snap cameo in the Los Angeles Chargers’ Week 5 home loss to Washington.

The 49ers have pressured quarterbacks the least of any defense, and attrition hasn’t helped matters, though neither has defensive coordinator Robert Saleh’s blitzes. After losing superstar frontman Nick Bosa to a Week 3 knee injury, three other starting-caliber defensive ends got hurt: Bryce Huff (hamstring), Yetur Gross-Matos (hamstring, knee) and Sam Okuayinonu (ankle).

Not surprisingly, the 49ers had no sacks and just two quarterback hits in Sunday’s 26-15 loss at Houston. They also had no sacks in their initial, Sept. 28 loss to Jacksonville and just one sack in an Oct. 12 loss at Tampa Bay.

Back in March, every starting defensive linemen but Bosa was cast into free agency. Rather than pay up for veteran replacements, the 49ers ignored the position. Then came the NFL Draft. Four of their first five picks were spent on defensive linemen, including first-rounder Mykel Williams, to signal an all-out youth movement. Those rookies have flashed and mostly stayed healthy, but Shanahan wants Williams to get more rest in a stronger rotation.

Williams, Robert Beal Jr. and William Bradley-King are all that was left in the defensive-end cupboard until this week’s additions.

To make room for Farrell on the practice squad, rookie guard Drew Moss was waived. Farrell can be elevated three times from the practice squad before the 49ers would have to move him to the active roster.

JENNINGS TRADE TALK?

Despite wide receiver Jauan Jennings’ struggles in his fifth season amid injuries, the 49ers aren’t publicly shopping him ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. “I’d be very surprised if Jauan wasn’t on our team throughout the year,” Shanahan said.

Jennings is 2 1/2 weeks away from revealing to the media he endured five broken ribs in a Sept. 28 loss to Jacksonville. “It’s been getting a lot better,” Jennings said. “I just love playing football, love playing with this team. It’s fun competing. Obviously we want to win.”

Jennings rebounded from a downfield drop Sunday to make a third-down conversion at the 2-yard line to set up a touchdown that pulled the 49ers within one score. “It was still in my head obviously, but to make that catch meant a lot for the guys around me who are counting on me just like I’m counting on them,” Jennings said.

Jennings has caught 18 of 34 targets for 212 yards and one touchdown, with the bulk of that coming in a Week 2 win at New Orleans (five catches, 89 yards, fourth-quarter touchdown). Opponents have intercepted one target to Jennings in each of his six games except that win in New Orleans.

“I just love playing with this team,” Jennings added. “To go out there every day and see guys like Kittle, Juice, Mac-10 out here … When I saw D-Rob after catching that (2-point conversion Sunday), it fires me up. We have a lot of guys on this team who want to contribute, who can contribute, and guys who make it fun to come to work every day.”

PURDY’S STATUS

Quarterback Brock Purdy is being limited in practice for the third straight week, after missing the past four starts.

“He’s got to go out there and go through the practices and let us know how good he feels. It’s hard to know how it goes with the toe, they’re iffy things,” Shanahan said. “In the (Sept. 28 Jaguars) game, one hit set him back four weeks. It’s a sensitive situation. Hopefully his getting reps in practice will give him confidence.

“It’s not as black and white as you guys want it to be.”

PRACTICE PARTICIPATION

Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall worked on the side and remains out of practice because of a Sept. 28 knee injury.

Also out are Huff, Gross-Matos, defensive tackle Alfred Collins (shoulder), linebacker Dee Winters (knee) and center Jake Brendel (hamstring).

Limited along with Purdy, Okuayinonu, Elliott and guard Ben Bartch, who could be activated off injured reserve.

SALUTING McCAFFREY

Running back Christian McCaffrey is the 49ers’ nominee for the USAA’s NFL Salute to Service Award, which George Kittle won last year. Kittle presented a makeshift torch to McCaffrey informing of the nomination for his honoring and supporting of the military.

Related Articles

Source: 49ers trade for defensive end who was Patriots’ draft bust

49ers escape Houston without serious injuries; status of Brock Purdy, Ricky Pearsall uncertain

Inman: 10 things that caught my eye in 49ers’ sleepy loss at Texans

49ers report card: Failures abound in 26-15 defeat to Texans

49ers failures on both sides of the ball against Texans demonstrate their vulnerability