As the end of 2021 gets ever closer, the 49ers are preparing for an abbreviated stretch of games through Christmas. With a Sunday matchup against the Atlanta Falcons followed by a Thursday trip to Nashville with the Titans, the team is attempting to be proactive about keeping players healthy.
Kyle Shanahan said he gave players their first “Victory Monday” of the year — in which they skip mandatory team meetings and just meet with position coaches and focus on individual work — and took a walkthrough on Wednesday to ease some of the mental and physical burden on players.
With that in mind, a number of players were out of Wednesday’s practice. Below is the team’s practice report, per Shanahan:
Did not practice:
- Fred Warner (ankle) – The ankle “swelled up after” the game, but isn’t believed to be serious
- George Kittle (knee soreness) – Rest was prioritized given the coming Thursday night game
- D.J. Jones (knee soreness)
- Elijah Mitchell (concussion, knee)
- Azeez Al-Shaair (elbow) – Was described as day-to-day on Monday
- Dre Greenlaw (groin) – Shanahan was not optimistic about him returning soon
- Maurice Hurst (calf)
- Dontae Johnson (personal) – Hoping that he returns to practice this week, following the death of his mother
Limited:
- Ambry Thomas (concussion)
- Jaquiski Tartt (glute)
Shanahan also confirmed that Dee Ford won’t return this season, but that there are no plans, and have not been any discussions, yet, about cutting Ford. He said he’ll likely return to Kansas City for the rest of the season and work on rehabbing and resting his back there.
Additionally, the team made two practice squad moves, signing former Michigan corner Lavert Hill and former Cowboys offensive lineman Wyatt Miller to the team’s practice squad.
