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Right when it started to become a story, the 49ers nipped it in the bud. For the first time this season and the first time since September of 2017, Jason Verrett is suited up for a football game. Verrett had been rehabbing from a high sprained left ankle sustained in an August 7 training camp practice, and was benched for the first two weeks for what appeared to be precautionary purposes.
Verrett is not expected to be utilized heavily, if at all on special teams, however, and does not have experience playing nickel corner, so it appears he’ll be used as a traditional backup corner. The 49ers will likely want to get Verrett some snaps on Sunday, if the game provides the opportunity, so if he does get used at nickel or special teams, it wouldn’t be a massive surprise.
Also active for Sunday’s game is Dee Ford, who was as questionable as they come heading into the weekend. His quadriceps/knee tendinitis had flared up again in Cincinnati, a game in which he did not play the second half. The 49ers, of course, have a bye week next week, so it’s unclear how much they plan on utilizing Ford, especially given the impressive performance of Ronald Blair.
The injury to Joe Staley created a necessary inactive spot in addition to C.J. Beathard, Jalen Hurd, Tevin Coleman and Jimmie Ward (who is still working back from surgery on his finger, though he told KNBR on Friday that it “feels good” and pointed to the fact that he’s been practicing – albeit in a limited capacity – for the past two weeks). Head coach Kyle Shanahan said he expected newly-signed tackle Sam Young to be inactive, so the only fully healthy scratch was defensive tackle Jullian Taylor.
#49ers inactives for #PITvsSF pic.twitter.com/ZD4IsD85C8
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) September 22, 2019
