The San Francisco 49ers got a head start Saturday on the NFL's first mandatory cutdown to 75 players by placing five youngsters on waivers.

Second-year DT Joe Cohen, first-year TE Cooper Wallace and rookies QB Kyle Wright, S Lewis Baker and OL John Booker all were released by the team. Cohen was one of San Francisco's three fourth-round draft picks in 2007.The 49ers now have 76 players on their roster, but they are at the 75-man limit, a figure all NFL teams must be at by Tuesday afternoon. The 49ers have a roster exemption for offensive tackle Ramiro Pruneda, who is allocated to San Francisco this year as part of the NFL's International Practice Squad Program and will spend the 2008 season on the 49ers practice squad.