SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers are putting their future back into Colin Kaepernick’s hands.

Coach Chip Kelly announced the decision Tuesday to bench Blaine Gabbert and give back the starting job that Kaepernick lost midway through last season. Kaepernick played briefly in the opener but has generated attention with his refusal to stand for the national anthem as a form of protest.

“We were very analytical and sat down as a staff, and watched tape and went over everything,” said Kelly, who added the Kaepernick’s ongoing protest had no bearing on his decision. “We’ve had a couple days to digest everything where we are. I think offensively, we just need to be better and we just need to make a move.”

Gabbert has struggled this season for San Francisco (1-4). He’s last in the NFL in yards per attempt (5.9) and has the second-worst passer rating (69.6) in the league.

“It’s not Blaine’s fault,” said Kelly. “I think as a group, offensively we need to be better in a lot of ways. So we’re going to see what we can do and make a move here. It’s really one of the only maneuvers we can make based on our depth.”

STEELERS: Defensive end Cam Heyward, who has played in 85 straight games since Pittsburgh took him in the first round of the 2011 draft, will be out of the lineup Sunday with a left hamstring injury for the game at Miami.

Heyward tweaked the hamstring in the first half of last week’s 31-13 win over the New York Jets. He underwent an MRI after the game.

DOLPHINS: Miami waived two offensive linemen who flopped in emergency starting roles in Sunday’s 30-17 loss to Tennessee, when Ryan Tannehill was sacked six times and the team totaled 200 yards and eight first downs.

The Dolphins parted with Dallas Thomas and Billy Turner, who were third-round draft picks in 2013 and 2014. They started because left tackle Branden Albert (virus) and left guard Laremy Tunsil (ankle) were inactive.

VIKINGS: Minnesota signed offensive tackle Jake Long, a former first overall draft pick recently beset by injuries.

The Vikings also placed right tackle Andre Smith on injured reserve due to surgery required on his damaged triceps. Left tackle Matt Kalil is already on injured reserve following hip surgery, and T.J. Clemmings has struggled filling in. Jeremiah Sirles has taken over for Smith.

BROWNS: Cleveland released veteran Charlie Whitehurst, who became the fifth quarterback to play for them this season before he got hurt Sunday.

Whitehurst injured his left knee in the final minutes of a 33-13 loss to New England. The team reached an injury settlement with him before letting him go.

EAGLES: Right tackle Lane Johnson was suspended for 10 games by the NFL for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Johnson will be eligible to return Dec. 19. It’s his second suspension. One more would cost Johnson two years. Johnson appealed the positive test but an arbiter upheld the ruling.

JETS: New York claimed wide receiver Jeremy Butler off waivers from Tampa Bay and released wide receiver-kick returner Jeremy Ross.

Butler was signed by Baltimore as an undrafted free agent out of Tennessee-Martin in 2014. He spent his rookie season on injured reserve with a shoulder injury, and had 31 catches for 363 yards last season for the Ravens.

GIANTS: New York signed cornerback Coty Sensabaugh and linebacker Deontae Skinner.

Sensabaugh was a free agent who was released Saturday by Los Angeles. Skinner was signed off the practice squad.