Tag: azeez al-shaair

Restricted free agent LB Azeez Al-Shaair gets 2nd-round tender from 49ers

The #49ers don’t really want to let restricted free agent Azeez Al-Shaair get away.

The 49ers on Tuesday made it clear they want restricted free agent Azeez Al-Shaair back in 2022. NFL Media’s Mike Garafolo reported San Francisco is placing a second-round RFA tender on Al-Shaair, which means he’ll be paid just shy of $4 million for the 2022 campaign before becoming an unrestricted free agent next year.

If a team signs Al-Shaair to an offer sheet, the 49ers will have a chance to match it. If he winds up signing with another club that team will have to send back a second-round pick.

The 2019 undrafted rookie had a breakout year in 2021 when he took on a starring role next to Fred Warner with Dre Greenlaw out for most of the season. Al-Shaair started all 13 games he played and racked up 102 tackles, nine tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one interception, five pass breakups, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.

There’s a chance the 49ers work out a long-term deal with Al-Shaair to ensure they keep the 24-year-old in the building beyond this season.

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49ers injury report: Elijah Mitchell ruled out vs. Titans

The #49ers ruled out RB Elijah Mitchell for Thursday night in Tennessee.

The 49ers won’t have their leading rusher for the third consecutive week when they travel to Tennessee to face the Titans on Thursday Night Football.

Rookie running back Elijah Mitchell is still dealing with a knee injury he suffered in Week 13 and the short week between Weeks 15 and 16 weren’t enough to get Mitchell ready for Thursday’s action.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Tuesday intimated Mitchell had good progress in his recovery over the weekend, but he still didn’t practice at all during the short week.

Here’s the full status report for Week 16:

49ers injury update: LB Azeez Al-Shaair questionable to return vs. Bengals

#49ers LB Azeez Al-Shaair questionable to return vs. Bengals.

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The 49ers announced linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair is questionable to return against the Bengals after sustaining an elbow injury late in the third quarter.

Al-Shaair appeared to go down without much contact and walked slowly off the field under his own power per reporters on site.

Even if he doesn’t return, Al-Shaair had a huge impact in Sunday’s game. He left the contest with a team-high 11 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks and a pass breakup.

49ers optimistic DE Dee Ford, LB Azeez Al-Shaair will return vs. Cardinals

The #49ers had two players out of Sunday’s game because of concussions, but both are expected back Sunday vs. Arizona.

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The 49ers defense was shorthanded in Chicago in part because of a pair of key players sitting in concussion protocol. Defensive end Dee Ford and linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair both missed Sunday’s game, but head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday said he doesn’t anticipate either player missing a second game.

San Francisco didn’t rule either player out in Friday’s injury report, listing both as ‘doubtful’ before downgrading them to ‘out’ Saturday.

“I am optimistic about them next week,” Shanahan told reporters on a conference call. “They were close enough that we took it all the way until Saturday. But usually when it’s not looking good on Friday, that’s why we put them down as doubtful. We held out hope that’s why he took them with us out, but still a long shot this week. Much better today and hopefully that will be cleared by Wednesday.”

Ford is second on the 49ers with 3.0 sacks this season, but they still managed to sack Bears QB Justin Fields four times without him. Defensive end Samson Ebukam saw additional work with Ford out and took advantage with his best game as a 49er and his first sack of the year.

Al-Shaair has seen an increased role since LB Dre Greenlaw went on injured reserve with a groin injury. The former undrafted free agent has acquitted himself well with more playing time. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles got the start in his place Sunday and played well with a couple tackles and a QB pressure.

The 49ers will need as many healthy defenders as possible to pull off an upset over the Arizona Cardinals, so Ford and Al-Shaair’s returns would be welcome for San Francisco.

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LB Azeez Al-Shaair should return for 49ers by season opener

The #49ers hope to get injured LB Azeez Al-Shaair back for their season opener vs. the Lions.

49ers starting Sam linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair had an injury scare early in camp when he exited practice the first week because of an issue with his knee. He avoided major damage and suffered a sprain that head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated won’t keep him out for any of the regular season.

“I think it is going a little bit faster,” Shanahan said of Al-Shaair’s recovery. “You know, we had that scare on that day of practice and I think we were looking towards Week 1, but I think it’s going a little faster than that and healing up pretty nice.”

Losing Al-Shaair for any time would’ve forced the 49ers to dig into their inexperienced LB depth. Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and veteran James Burgess are the two likely candidates to take over should Al-Shaair be unavailable.

While he only plays roughly 30 percent of the snaps as the third linebacker who leaves the field in sub packages, he’d done a nice job after carving out a role there in 2019 as an undrafted rookie. Last year he took over the position full time and racked up 35 tackles, two pass breakups and an interception.

49ers optimistic about LB Azeez Al-Shaair after knee injury

LB Azeez Al-Shaair exited Monday’s practice with a knee injury, but the #49ers are optimistic it’s not serious.

49ers linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair exited Monday’s practice with a knee injury. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters after the session that the team isn’t overly concerned about the ailment following initial examination.

“We don’t know for sure. It sounded, we’re pretty optimistic on it though,” Shanahan said. “We’ve got to take him all the tests and stuff, but just the doctors feeling and everything they were pretty optimistic.”

Al-Shaair, an undrafted free agent signee in 2019, worked his way into the starting Sam linebacker role last season and doubled his snap count from his rookie campaign and looked in line to start at that spot again this season.

It’s still unclear if Al-Shaair will miss any time with this injury. San Francisco has a slew of linebackers behind him on the depth chart including Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and Jonas Griffith who were both with the club last year. James Burgess was signed this offseason, as were undrafted rookies Elijah Sullivan and Justin Hilliard.

Al-Shaair has played in 31 games across two seasons with 10 starts. He’s tallied 53 tackles, one tackle for loss and one interception.

The great, good, and bad performances from the SF 49ers 26-23 Week 17 loss

The San Francisco 49ers lost to the Seattle Seahawks 26-23 in their final game of the season. However, plenty had good performances.

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In their final game of the season, the San Francisco 49ers once again showed exactly why they deserved to be preseason favorites, but ultimately, why when the playoffs start next week, they will be back home watching. A team decimated by injuries has missed many of their most important players on each side of the ball for multiple games.

On Sunday, against the 11-4 Seattle Seahawks, the 49ers were without at least five starters on each side of the ball. Still, their defense played inspired and shutdown Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson for three quarters. Head coach Kyle Shanahan had a solid play-calling day, with open receivers throughout, but third-string quarterback C.J. Beathard failed to make the right reads on multiple occasions.

By the fourth quarter, Wilson would not be contained for much longer. Aided by a Beathard fumble, the Seahawks scored three touchdowns in the final quarter and ultimately finished on the better side of the 26-23 score. Football is not the sport for moral victories, but the 49ers played like they were as good as the NFC West champ even without some of their best players.

49ers vs. Ravens: 3 things that stood out in the 2nd quarter

The 49ers have done a great job rolling with Baltimore’s punches but haven’t quite figured out how to contain Lamar Jackson. 

The 49ers have done a great job rolling with Baltimore’s punches, but haven’t quite figured out how to contain Lamar Jackson. Raheem Mostert has been huge for the offense with six carries for 89 yards and a 40-yard touchdown run.

Robbie Gould missed a 51-yard field goal as time expired in the half and Baltimore will take a 17-14 lead into halftime. Here’s what stood out in the second quarter:

Third-down mistake leads to Baltimore touchdown

Azeez Al-Shaair made a mistake that led to another Baltimore touchdown. It was the second third-down miscue of the game for San Francisco. On a third-down incompletion that would have given the Ravens a tough fourth-down decision, Al-Shaair was called for a roughing the passer that reset the downs for Baltimore and gave them 15 free yards. Baltimore extended their lead to 14-7 four plays later. The 49ers have to cut down on the third-down miscues if they’re going to earn the win in Baltimore.

George Kittle the blocking tight end

What makes Kittle so valuable to the 49ers offense is not just his abilities as a pass-catcher, but his ability to open huge holes in the run game. Kittle has zero receptions on one target, but had a big seal block to open up a hole for Raheem Mostert en route to a 40-yard touchdown to tie the game at 14. The Ravens have done what they can to take Kittle away from the passing game, but his biggest play thus far has come as a blocker.

Sherman with a big tackle on Jackson

Baltimore faced a third-and-6 when Jackson got loose once again and tried to rush for a first down. Richard Sherman recognized the run play quickly and broke towards Jackson to force him out of bounds. Baltimore was able to convert the fourth down, but the tackle by Sherman was big in the moment. His physicality on the edge as a run stopper may play a key role later in the contest.

No tough decisions in 49ers inactives vs. Cardinals

The 49ers have so many injuries that they didn’t have any choices with their list of inactives.

The 49ers coaching staff didn’t have any tough decisions when it came to their seven inactive players Sunday.

Here’s the list officially submitted by the team prior to Sunday’s game:

OT Joe Staley
QB CJ Beathard
TE George Kittle
RB Matt Breida
K Robbie Gould
LB Azeez Al-Shaair
DT DJ Jones

Really the list was all but confirmed late Saturday morning when the 49ers announced Al-Shaair was downgraded to ‘out’ with a concussion. He joined Staley and Jones as the three players officially out. With Beathard a regular inactive as the third quarterback, there were only three inactive spots left.

Those three spots were the only question marks, and they were officially filled Sunday with Kittle, Breida and Gould – the three players the 49ers labeled ‘doubtful’ leading up to the game.

One silver lining is the absence of Ahkello Witherspoon’s name on the inactive list for the first time since Week 5. He sprained his foot in the Week 3 win over the Steelers and hasn’t played since. Witherspoon was supposed to be back Monday vs. Seattle, but had a setback and was forced to delay his return date.

 

Azeez Al-Shaair officially ruled out vs. Cardinals

The 49ers may already have their seven inactive players for Sunday vs. the Cardinals.

The already banged up 49ers got more bad injury news Saturday when linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was unable to clear concussion protocol. By not doing so Saturday, he’s officially been ruled out for Sunday’s matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.

Al-Shaair left Monday night’s game in the second half to be evaluated for a concussion, and was later placed into concussion protocol. One of the disadvantages of playing Monday night is the short week to recoup from injuries and clear concussion protocol.

San Francisco’s linebacker depth was already a little thin following Kwon Alexander’s season-ending pec tear. Elijah Lee was behind Al-Shaair on the depth chart and will likely slide into a Sam linebacker role in base, while contributing on special teams.

Al-Shaair, an undrafted rookie, has played about 59 percent of the team’s special teams snaps this season as one of their core players on that unit. He’s also logged 41 defensive snaps, most of them coming the last three weeks with a blowout win over Carolina, then two games with Alexander hurt.

San Francisco has already ruled out DJ Jones and Joe Staley. With George Kittle, Robbie Gould and Matt Breida all doubtful, Al-Shaair ruled out, and CJ Beathard as the third quarterback, we likely have all seven of the 49ers’ required inactive players for Sunday. If anyone else gets hurt, they’ll have to operate with fewer than the 46-player maximum.