The rash of injuries that have plagued the 49ers’ offense have now trickled over to the defensive side.
In a bit of a surprise, All-Pro cornerback Charvarius Ward was held out of Thursday’s practice because of knee and hamstring injuries. He was a full participant in Wednesday’s session, indicating the pair of injuries are new.
Defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen told reporters in a press conference after Thursday’s practice that Ward has some soreness and that the team is trying to be smart with the veteran CB. However, an absence in the middle of the week typically doesn’t bode well for a player’s chances to play. We’ll get official word on Ward’s status Friday afternoon.
If Ward is unable to go, all signs point to rookie second-round pick Renardo Green getting the start as the 49ers’ nickel corner. Sorensen during his press conference had a glowing review of Green.
“He’s looked great,” Sorensen said. “He continually gets better. So we’ve got total confidence in Renardo. He’s very competitive, he’s always wanting to learn, he is learning. Just feel great about him.”
The 49ers turned to Green in a dime package with four cornerbacks on the field in Week 2 against the Vikings. It marked his first regular season action as a pro. He played just four snaps. Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Green may be a part of their defensive plan moving forward following his brief playing time in Minnesota.
If Ward winds up missing Sunday’s game in Los Angeles, Deommodore Lenoir and Isaac Yiadom would likely be the starting outside CBs with Green stepping into the slot in nickel packages.
The 49ers and Rams kick off from SoFi Stadium at 1:25pm Pacific Time on Sunday.
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