John Lynch update on Trent Williams is great news for 49ers

The 49ers are very confident Trent Williams will be back next season.

The San Francisco 49ers have some work to do on their roster this offseason to return to Super Bowl contention.

That work would get significantly more difficult if 36-year-old All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams opted to hang up his pads and retire after an injury-plagued 14th NFL season. Alas, Williams is committed to returning to San Francisco according to general manager John Lynch.

Lynch on Wednesday in a press conference told reporters Williams is recovering well from the ankle injury that limited him to only 10 games this season, and that the team fully expects their superstar left tackle to be back for the 2025 campaign.

“Trent’s doing well,” said Lynch. “He had a bruise in the ankle joint and it probably took a little longer than anyone anticipated, but sometimes that happens. And the good news is, it’s taken a positive turn. Trent’s mindset is where it always is and he’s still very interested in being a great player that he is. And I think he’s still got a lot left in the tank. So, Trent’s committed as ever and we love having Trent Williams a part of us.”

Williams returning for at least 2025 changes the way the 49ers can attack their offseason. If he wasn’t going to return, they may turn all their resources toward finding his long-term replacement to protect quarterback Brock Purdy’s blind side.

By getting an All-Pro back, not only do the 49ers retain one of the NFL’s best offensive linemen, they can also focus their offseason energy on supplementing their offensive line and bolstering other areas of their roster instead of trying to replace a future Hall of Famer.

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49ers RB Christian McCaffrey provides promising update on knee injury

It looks like Christian McCaffrey will have a full offseason with the San Francisco 49ers.

Christian McCaffrey suffered what turned out to be a season-ending knee injury in the San Francisco 49ers’ Week 13 loss to the Buffalo Bills.

While the PCL sprain that resulted from an awkward landing on the hard turf in snowy Buffalo put McCaffrey on IR, he told reporters at the team’s locker cleanout day Monday that he would have been able to return for the postseason. ESPN’s Nick Wagoner reported McCaffrey is rehabbing at the team facility and is on track to be a full go when the offseason program kicks off.

This isn’t necessarily surprising news since McCaffrey’s injury was given a six-week recovery time. Wild card weekend would have been the sixth week. The good news is McCaffrey didn’t suffer any additional damage or setbacks.

Per Wagoner, McCaffrey also noted his Achilles tendinitis won’t be an issue next year.

Given his injury issues in 2024, any ailment with the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year sends up red flags. He dealt with bilateral Achilles tendinitis that cost him the first eight games of the season. His knee injury cost him the final five contests.

McCaffrey wound up rushing for 202 yards on 50 carries and notching 146 receiving yards on 15 catches. The 49ers offense clearly struggled in his absence and they stumbled badly shortly after his return, so even if he’d stayed healthy through the end of the year it’s unlikely he would have had enough of an impact to turn their disastrous season around.

Getting a fully health McCaffrey would be a massive boost for the 49ers as they try to regain their status as a playoff team in the NFC. Any signs that he’s on track to be in the building for OTAs and a full go for training camp in late July are good for San Francisco.

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49ers rookie may have avoided major injury in loss to Cardinals

San Francisco provided an initial injury update on RB Isaac Guerendo following the 49ers’ season finale vs. Arizona.

San Francisco running back Isaac Guerendo exited the 49ers’ season finale versus the Arizona Cardinals just four plays into the contest.

On his second carry of the afternoon, Guerendo’s left leg was twisted up and he had to be carted off.

San Francisco quickly ruled Guerendo out and initially classified his injuries as knee and ankle ailments.

After San Francisco’s season ended with a 47-24 loss versus Arizona, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan updated Guerendo’s injury status.

“Isaac Guerendo had a knee and an ankle. Not sure yet. Most likely an MCL, but we’re going to have to find out for sure tomorrow,” Shanahan said.

Shanahan said that it was challenging for San Francisco to see Guerendo carted off. The franchise is holding out hope for good news on his injury status, though.

“Yeah, it was tough, especially when you go out on a cart. You know, I think that messed with everyone a little bit, but we’re still holding out hope that it’s good news. Or, good news in comparison to going off on a cart and everything. Hoping it’s not ACL. I thought Patrick stepped it up and ran really well today and played really good,” Shanahan said.

Guerendo’s 2024 season comes to a close with 84 carries, 420 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Guerendo was selected by the 49ers in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

With Guerendo sidelined, Patrick Taylor Jr. rushed 17 times for 109 yards.

Shanahan also remarked on injuries to rookie safety Malik Mustapha, safety Talanoa Hufanga, cornerback Renardo Green, wide receiver Chris Conley and offensive tackle Colton McKivitz.

“Malik Mustapha, cut his knee up and bruised his knee. He was out, didn’t return Huff had a concussion, didn’t return. Renardo Green, groin, did not return. Conley had an elbow, he returned. Col McKivitz, ankle did not return,” Shanahan said.

49ers RB Isaac Guerendo carted off with knee and ankle injuries

49ers RB Isaac Guerendo was carted off early vs. Arizona.

San Francisco running back Isaac Guerendo was injured and carted off early during the 49ers‘ season finale versus the Arizona Cardinals.

On San Francisco’s opening series and on Guerendo’s second carry, the rookie from Louisville got twisted up as he rushed for a pair of yards. Guerendo required the cart to exit the playing surface at State Farm Stadium and the team didn’t wait to rule him out.

The 49ers ruled Guerendo out with a knee and ankle injury.

With Guerendo out of the equation, San Francisco is down to just one healthy running back in Patrick Taylor Jr.

Entering Sunday, Taylor had appeared in six games this season, carrying 22 times for 74 rushing yards with a 3-yard touchdown against the Chicago Bears on Dec. 8.

Taylor is a fourth-year pro from Memphis. Prior to this season with San Francisco, Taylor spent three seasons with the Green Bay Packers.

Guerendo’s 2024 season comes to a close with 84 carries, 420 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. Guerendo was selected by the 49ers in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.

49ers injury update: George Kittle officially active vs. Cardinals

George Kittle is IN vs. Arizona.

The San Francisco 49ers will finish out their 2024 season with tight end George Kittle in the mix.

Kittle was listed as ‘questionable’ on the Week 18 injury report because of ankle and hamstring issues. He was a non-participant in Wednesday’s practice, but returned on a limited basis for Thursday and Friday.

He was not among the team’s list of inactives for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. Here is who won’t suit up for San Francisco:

QB Brock Purdy (elbow)
WR Deebo Samuel (ribs, wrist)
CB Deommodore Lenoir (shoulder)
DE Robert Beal Jr. (ankle)
CB Tre Avery
DT Khalil Davis
RB Israel Abanikanda

There won’t be an emergency third signal caller for the 49ers since Purdy is out. Joshua Dobbs will start and Brandon Allen will back him up. Undrafted rookie QB Tanner Mordecai didn’t get a call up from the practice squad in Saturday’s roster moves because San Francisco needed depth at other positions.

Trent Taylor was called up since Samuel is out, and undrafted rookie Drake Nugent was added to give the interior offensive line some depth.

A huge key for the 49ers on Sunday will be keeping the players who are playing healthy. Defensive end Nick Bosa is playing through hip and oblique issues, and linebacker Fred Warner is playing with a broken bone in his ankle.

Ensuring nobody is dealing with anything throughout the offseason that might impact them next year will be more important than the final score at State Farm Stadium.

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49ers IR list grows with roster moves prior to Week 18 vs. Cardinals

The San Francisco 49ers made several final roster moves ahead of their Week 18 date vs. the Arizona Cardinals.

Ahead of their Week 18 finale at the Arizona Cardinals, the San Francisco 49ers revealed several final roster moves on Saturday.

The 49ers promoted linebackers Alex Barrett and DaShaun White to the active roster from the team’s practice squad. San Francisco offensive lineman Drake Nugent and wide receiver Trent Taylor were also activated from the team’s practice squad.

Meanwhile, offensive lineman Spencer Burford and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles were placed on the injured reserve list.

Per Pro Football Focus, Burford has appeared in five games this season and has slotted in for the 49ers at left tackle, left guard and right guard. Flannigan-Fowles started three games and played in seven this season for San Francisco, tallying 17 tackles, two passes defensed, one interception and one tackle for loss in 151 defensive snaps.

Barrett has logged 10 defensive snaps and two tackles across two games versus Miami and Detroit this season for the 49ers. White entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma with Buffalo in 2023 and joined the 49ers’ practice squad this past September.

Nugent signed with San Francisco as an undrafted free agent from Michigan last May before being waived in August. Nugent was then signed to the 49ers’ practice squad.

Taylor entered the NFL with San Francisco as a fifth-round pick by the 49ers in the 2017 NFL draft. Taylor has caught 87 passes for 834 yards and three touchdowns during his NFL career, with the bulk of that production coming during the 2017 and 2018 seasons with the 49ers.

Taylor combined to catch 69 passes for 645 receiving yards with three touchdowns during the 2017 and 2018 NFL seasons with the 49ers.

WR Deebo Samuel is one of five ‘out’ on 49ers Week 18 injury report

All the latest updates and news on 49ers’ injury report ahead of a Week 18 game vs. Cardinals.

The San Francisco 49ers will finish the season the way they started it – banged up and missing a handful of star players.

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel, quarterback Brock Purdy and cornerback Deommodore Lenoir are all listed as ‘out’ for the team’s Week 18 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.

Tight end George Kittle is also ‘questionable.’

It’s not a huge surprise the 49ers opted for maximum caution with player like Purdy and Lenoir since both figure to be key pieces in the team’s future beyond the 2024 campaign. The same may be true for Samuel, although his future in San Francisco is still uncertain.

For the 49ers, they can’t climb out of the cellar in the NFC West, so there isn’t much to play for in Sunday’s game. A win could drop them as far as No. 14 in the NFL draft. A loss would keep them at No. 11, which is where they’re slated to pick entering the final week of the regular season.

49ers injury report

Out

DE Robert Beal (ankle)
OL Spencer Burford (calf)
CB Deommodore Lenoir (shoulder)
QB Brock Purdy (elbow)

WR Deebo Samuel (ribs, wrist)

Doubtful

LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (calf)

Questionable

S Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle)
TE George Kittle (ankle, hamstring)

OT Colton McKivitz (knee)
CB Isaac Yiadom (pelvis)

Kickoff from State Farm Stadium in Arizona is slated for 1:25pm Pacific Time.

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Not much good news in 49ers Week 18 injury updates

The 49ers injury issues persist.

The San Francisco 49ers are in a tough spot entering their 2024 season finale.

Not only is the club dealing with a spate of injury issues, they also don’t have anything to play for and they’re in the midst of a short week after playing Monday night in Week 17.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday indicated the quicker turnaround after a Monday game would alter how the team operated with some of their injured players. That manifested itself with 11 players out of Wednesday’s session. It stands to reason things might’ve gotten better Thursday, but the club still had 11 players out with only one player upgrading their status from Wednesday.

Tight end George Kittle was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice after not participating in Wednesday’s session. Safety Ji’Ayir Brown was limited Wednesday by an ankle injury and then didn’t practice Thursday.

Perhaps Friday will bear some good news and the 49ers will be closer to full strength for Sunday’s season finale. It’s hard to bank on that given how bad their injury luck has been this year.

Did not participate

DE Robert Beal (ankle)
DE Nick Bosa (knee)
S Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle)

OL Spencer Burford (calf)
LB Demetrius Flanngan-Fowles (calf)
DE Leonard Floyd (shoulder)
CB Deommodore Lenoir (shoulder)
OT Colton McKivitz (knee)
QB Brock Purdy (elbow)
WR Deebo Samuel (ribs, wrist)

Limited participation

TE George Kittle (ankle, hamstring)
WR Ricky Pearsall (illness, chest)
CB Isaac Yiadom (pelvis)

Full participation

RB Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring)
S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist)

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Why Joshua Dobbs was chosen as 49ers new starting QB

Why the 49ers made a change at QB with Brock Purdy out:

It looks like the San Francisco 49ers won’t have quarterback Brock Purdy for their season finale against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Week 18 will mark the second game Purdy has missed this season, but this time the starter in his stead will be different. Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday announced Joshua Dobbs would get the start ahead of Brandon Allen, who has been Purdy’s backup for virtually the entire season.

According to Shanahan, the change from Allen to Dobbs has more to do with the personnel surrounding the QBs than either player’s performance. He confirmed the switch was because San Francisco is down so many offensive lineman, and Dobbs’ mobility gives the 49ers offense a better chance to be successful. Dobbs has 503 rushing yards and seven career rushing touchdowns, including a seven-yard TD scamper in Monday night’s loss to the Detroit Lions. Allen has 68 yards on 36 carries in his career.

Shanahan heaped praise on both signal callers though, giving an indication that one or both may be back in 2025.

“(Dobbs has) been great, him and Brandon,” said Shanahan. “They’ve been two good guys to have there. I’ve kind of looked at both of them as our two throughout the year. Kind of a little bit what I said in preseason. But they both have done really good looks on scout team, they split all the reps there. They’re always ready. They both prepare like they’re going to be a starter every week, so they’ve been great.”

If the 49ers can’t retain both Allen and Dobbs when they hit free agency in the offseason, Dobbs’ performance Sunday may determine how much San Francisco prioritizes bringing him back.

Undrafted rookie Tanner Mordecai is another other option if the 49ers don’t bring back one or both of Allen and Dobbs. While he wasn’t in the mix to be the starter Sunday because he hasn’t gotten enough reps behind the other two QBs, Shanahan said Mordecai has found other ways to make the most of his first NFL season.

“It’s always tough having four, just because of the reps,” said Shanahan. “So I mean, that’s kind of, (Minnesota Vikings QB) Nick Mullens his first year, I think he was the fourth and he got scout-team reps at safety until basically his first start. So that does happen. You’ve got to find ways to get the work in, but he’s taken advantage of his time here too.”

Dobbs performed well in his handful of snaps in Monday night’s loss after Purdy went down with a right elbow injury. If he puts together another strong outing behind a patchwork offensive line, he may quickly become San Francisco’s second-biggest offseason priority at QB behind Purdy and his contract extension.

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11 players out of 49ers 1st Week 18 practice

11 players out … woof.

The San Francisco 49ers are finishing the season the same way they started it.

In a season marred by injuries since training camp, the 49ers began their Week 18 preparations with 11 players absent from Wednesday’s practice. It’s a culmination of an issue that’s been bubbling all year and catalyzed a disappointing campaign that saw the club lose double-digit games for the fourth time in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure.

The 49ers’ injury woes were so bad in camp that they had to cancel joint practices with the New Orleans Saints because they didn’t have enough bodies to complete joint practices.

Now, with nothing on the line in their season finale, we could see the 49ers be extra cautious with some of their veteran players who figure to be key pieces of the roster next season.

Of the 11 players absent Wednesday, seven are starters who could be impact players in 2025. There were two limited participants who should also be impact players next year.

Here’s what Wednesday’s practice report looked like:

Did not participate

DE Robert Beal (ankle)
DE Nick Bosa (knee)
OL Spencer Burford (calf)
LB Demetrius Flanngan-Fowles (calf)
DE Leonard Floyd (shoulder)
TE George Kittle (ankle, hamstring)
CB Deommodore Lenoir (shoulder)
OT Colton McKivitz (knee)
QB Brock Purdy (elbow)
WR Deebo Samuel (ribs, wrist)
CB Isaac Yiadom (pelvis)

Limited participation

S Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle)
WR Ricky Pearsall (illness, chest)

Full participation

RB Isaac Guerendo (foot, hamstring)
S Talanoa Hufanga (wrist)

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