The 49ers face a unique challenge this week. They left Sunday’s game with a handful of injuries and have just four days before a trip to Seattle which could seal the NFC West title, or keep the door open for the Seahawks.
Most pressing, among the injured players, is Brock Purdy.
He suffered an oblique injury which Kyle Shanahan said Monday probably happened on his scramble and first down dive on the team’s second drive. It was the play Purdy ran for a would-be first down, then appeared to talk a little trash to the Tampa Bay sideline (the play was called back for a hold on Trent Williams).
Shanahan said early on Monday he believes it’s the left oblique for Purdy, saying it “just got worse on him throughout the game,” but that he could have finished it if he needed to. He said after the game that the team will assess how he feels Monday, not providing certainty as to his status on Thursday.
According to the team, in an update provided later in the day, Purdy is also dealing with a rib injury and is viewed as day-to-day.
If Purdy can’t go, the 36-year-old Josh Johnson, signed last week, would start. He played most of the fourth quarter.
Shanahan was asked about his level of confidence in Johnson, who was with the team in 2020 (and twice before in his career), if he had to start against Seattle.
“That’s one of the reasons we brought him here just because Josh is really good at picking things up,” Shanahan said. “Just putting him in the game for that whole quarter where he had to handle all the jet sweep timing of motions and things like that. I mean, those weren’t very normal formations and runs, so he can go in, has real good command of the offense.
“It’s Thursday, so no one’s getting full-speed reps, so that’s always a challenge when you get in there, but that was a situation for the quarterback last week too.”
San Francisco also got substantial news on Deebo Samuel. According to the team, Samuel sustained both an MCL and ankle sprain, but he is expected to return in the regular season.
Given how severe the injury appeared when he left the game on a cart, it’s a major, positive shift in fortune.
Outside of the quarterback and Deebo Samuel situations, the focus is on the interior of the defensive line. While Arik Armstead returned to the group last week, the group is splintering.
Hassan Ridgeway suffered a pectoral injury against the Dolphins that should keep him out until the playoffs, if not for the season.
On Sunday, Kevin Givens suffered an early knee injury that Shanahan said he’s hoping is “just an MCL,” but that regardless of the diagnosis it will “be a little bit” until he can return.
That was confirmed by the team later in the day. He’ll be out “a few weeks” with an MCL sprain.
The most optimism expressed was for Kerry Hyder Jr., who sustained an ankle injury. Shanahan spoke to him and said he believes he could have returned if the game was closer and he was needed.
From a big picture lens, there may be hope for Javon Kinlaw to return to that group. After Thursday, Kinlaw could have his practice window opened.
“Our goal was after the Seattle game to hopefully get him back in practice,” Shanahan said. “So that was our goal with it. We’ll finish this game up and we’ll see how it is when we come out on Monday whether we start opening up his window or not.”
The tone is not an overwhelmingly optimistic one, but it was still an indication the 49ers expect and hope for Kinlaw to rejoin the picture this season.
Rookie cornerback Samuel Womack III is also in the concussion protocol and will miss Thursday’s game.
Lastly, the 49ers have lost Dontae Johnson for the season, per Adam Schefter.
The veteran corner has been with the team on and off since his rookie year in 2014, and has carved out a sustained role as a valued special teams player. He was hurt on the last kickoff of the game at the end of the third quarter.
