Tag: fred warner

49ers injury news piles up in Week 4 win over Patriots

The 49ers have more injury issues after Week 4 where Fred Warner missed the entire second half.

The San Francisco 49ers can’t quite get their injury situation to stabilize. Sunday’s 30-13 victory over the Patriots came with a whole new set of question marks on the health front.

Most notably, linebacker Fred Warner is dealing with an ankle injury that sidelined him for the entire second half of Sunday’s game. Warner came out of the tunnel for the second half looking like he’d return after leaving late in the first half. However, he was unable to make his way onto the field once the game began.

“I don’t, I know Fred tried to go, came out in third quarter and tried to go, but didn’t feel like he could,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said in his post-game press conference.

This is a significant deal that should be watched closely given how vital Warner is to the 49ers’ defense.

He jogged to the locker room before the half and ran off the field after the game which points toward him being at least somewhat healthy. On the other hand, that he didn’t return to the game and that Shanahan didn’t have an update afterward isn’t a great sign.

Warner wasn’t the only injury issue for the 49ers though.

Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott, who became an essential piece of the 49ers’ defense, exited with a knee injury after dealing with a foot injury in practice during the week. Shanahan said the team doesn’t think the knee injury is ACL-related.

Tight end George Kittle briefly exited with a rib injury, but he returned. Wide receivers Jacob Cowing (shoulder) and Chris Conley (oblique) both had injury issues and returned to the game. Fullback Kyle Juszczyk left the game late with shoulder injury per Shanahan, although the severity of that is unknown as well.

Shanahan is scheduled talk to media again Monday at 3:30pm Pacific Time, at that point he’ll have additional updates.

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49ers get 1st touchdown vs. Patriots from unlikely place

Run Fred Warner his DPOY.

The NFL might want to start making the Defensive Player of the Year trophy for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner.

He’s up to three forced fumbles and two interceptions this season after snagging an interception off of Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett.

What made the play so remarkable is that Warner not only had the athleticism to get up and make the interception, but he had the athleticism to get up and follow a couple of blocks into the end zone for the 49ers’ first touchdown of the game vs. New England.

It put the 49ers ahead 13-0 and gave a much-needed spark to a defense that had been struggling.

Gimme Him: Fred Warner would provide spark for Patriots’ LB position

Fred Warner would be a key component of the Patriots’ linebacker group

The New England Patriots are set to take on a San Francisco 49ers team with plenty of defensive playmakers on their roster.

For this week’s Gimme Him, the Patriots could use 49ers three-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, who has become a staple of the 49ers’ linebacker unit.

Warner is having another solid start to the season. He has 20 combined tackles on the year, a sack and an interception. He is coming off a game against the Los Angeles Rams that saw him record four total tackles, following his seven tackles against the New York Jets and nine tackles against the Minnesota Vikings

The Patriots need help at the linebacker position with Ja’Whaun Bentley out for the season. Bentley was missed in Thursday’s 24-3 loss to the Jets. In particular, the New England defense had trouble stopping the run, which Bentley greatly excelled at.

Warner could help fill that gap and provide New England with veteran leadership at the position.

In addition to what he could bring to the table this season, Warner has been a consistent player throughout his career. He has 786 total tackles, 10 sacks and nine interceptions. His versatility and ball instincts are both things the Patriots’ linebacker group could use at the moment.

Of course, this is very much a dream scenario. Even still, there’s no denying that Warner would be an instant upgrade to the linebacker group on a defense that struggled last week.

He would be exactly what the unit needs to stay competitive after a 1-2 start to the season.

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49ers superstar LB snubbed for award after monster game vs Vikings

The All-Pro LB forced a pair of turnovers, recorded a sack and led the 49ers in tackles on Sunday against the Vikings.

Despite the San Francisco 49ers’ rough loss to the Minnesota Vikings, All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner put together a memorable performance.

After notching a forced fumble and seven tackles against the New York Jets on Monday Night Football, the All-Pro linebacker continued his early Defensive Player of the Year campaign in Week 2 against the Vikings.

With the 49ers stalling offensively, Warner provided multiple sparks on the defensive side of the football. Not only did Warner jump a throw from Sam Darnold for a momentum-switching interception, the former BYU Cougar saved a would-be Vikings touchdown with a heroic forced fumble at the goal line against Aaron Jones.

Warner finished with a team-high nine tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, two pass deflections, a quarterback hit, a forced fumble and an interception in the 49ers’ 23-17 loss to the Vikings.

Despite his impressive performance, Warner was not named Defensive Player of the Week in the NFC. Atlanta Falcons defensive back Jessie Bates earned the award for Week 2.

In a win on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles, Bates notched 12 tackles, a tackle for loss, two pass deflections and a game-sealing interception in the final seconds of the fourth quarter against Jalen Hurts.

Via @AtlantaFalcons on Twitter:

Detroit Lions pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson should also be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Week. The former Michigan Wolverine sacked Baker Mayfield 4.5 times in the Lion’s loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Jordan Mason caps epic 99-yard drive with touchdown

The 49ers running back stayed hot with a touchdown run against the Vikings in the fourth quarter.

With the San Francisco 49ers facing the chance of falling down 27-7, defensive captain Fred Warner came up with a big hit at the goal line to force a fumble against Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones.

With another turnover forced by the hands of Warner, Kyle Shanahan’s offense went to work down 20-7 in the fourth quarter. Purdy orchestrated the 49ers’ best offensive drive of the game, pushing the ball down the field to set up a much-needed touchdown.

Jordan Mason stayed hot, punching in a 10-yard touchdown run to capitalize a 99-yard drive against the Vikings. Behind Mason’s score, the 49ers cut the Vikings lead to 20-14.

Via @49ers on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/49ers/status/1835401260142317843

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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49ers defensive leader expected breakout game from unheralded RB

The Georgia Tech product rushed for a career-high 147 yards on Monday night against the Jets.

Monday Night Football between the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers marked the arrival of Jordan Mason. With Christian McCaffrey ruled out before kickoff due to an ankle/Achilles, Mason didn’t just fill in but thrived in the 49ers backfield.

Mason fueled the 49ers offense, surging to a career-high 147 yards with a touchdown on 28 carries. The Georgia Tech product hammered the Jets defense with a flurry of powerful runs through the belly of New York’s front seven.

Following the game, Fred Warner was asked about Mason. The 49ers defensive captain wasn’t surprised by the undrafted running back’s performance on Monday against the Jets.

I know it sounds silly, but I truly do expect that of him. I love the fact that he trained here this offseason — chose to train here with me and some of the other linebackers, Flan and Curtis. We compete here. Even in the offseason, I saw him with a different mindset that he was going to be ready for his moment when it did come. All training camp he got a lot of reps obviously with Christian out. Even though I’m not tackling him to the ground, I could still feel the physicality and seeing it throughout the preseason. He was ready for his moment. I’m so happy for him.

Via @NBCS49ers on Twitter:

Regardless of when McCaffrey will be available next, Mason has deservingly carved out some sort of role in Shanahan’s offense. If McCaffrey can’t return by Sunday, Mason will likely see a heavy workload again in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Watch: Fred Warner forces first turnover of season with punch vs. Jets’ Breece Hall

It didn’t take long for Fred Warner to make an impact in the 49ers season opener against the Jets.

After a 3-and-out on offense to start the regular season, the San Francisco 49ers leaned on their defense to provide a spark on Monday Night Football against the New York Jets. The 49ers captain delivered.

It didn’t take long for Fred Warner to make an impact against the Jets. After Aaron Rodgers flipped a short pass to running back Breece Hall, Warner came flying in to punch the ball out of the former Iowa State rusher’s hands. Following Warner’s punch, new 49er defensive tackle Maliek Collins pounced on the forced fumble to secure the turnover.

Via @brgridiron on Twitter:

With the football, the 49ers offense settled for a field goal with Jake Moody tacking on the 49ers’ first points of the 2024 campaign.

This post originally appeared on Niners Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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Best version of 49ers season ends with unlikely Super Bowl win

Here’s what the most optimistic version of the 49ers’ season looks like:

It’s not hard to paint an optimistic picture about the San Francisco 49ers’ 2024 season.

They enter the year with the best roster in football. They’ll be almost fully intact by Week 1, and they return most of the group that won the No. 1 seed in the NFC en route to a Super Bowl trip last season. If things go according to plan, this is the year San Francisco ends its 30-year Super Bowl drought and become only the fourth team ever to lose a Super Bowl, then win it the following year. They’d join the 1971 Dallas Cowboys, 1972 Miami Dolphins and 2018 New England Patriots to do so.

So, what does the most optimistic view look like?

Quarterback Brock Purdy will be entering his second full year as a starter. He’s also coming off a full offseason where he didn’t have to rehab his surgically-repaired throwing elbow. Considering he finished fourth in MVP voting last season, the arrow is pointing up for the signal caller in 2024.

If Purdy is better, the 49ers offense is going to reach an unstoppable level. San Francisco already boasts playmakers like Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey. Sprinkling in a quarterback who makes more individually great plays outside the context of his playmakers would make head coach Kyle Shanahan’s group a juggernaut.

A better version of the 49ers’ offense would allow the team’s defense to take a step backward and still stay in Super Bowl contention. Alas, we’re in the most optimistic world here and San Francisco once again boasts the NFL’s top defense.

Defensive end depth is a concern, to be sure, but Nick Bosa would be a Defensive Player of the Year candidate and Javon Hargrave would bounce back with a Pro Bowl campaign. Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos would also provide enough rotational depth on the edges to make the 49ers’ pass rush a force like the one we saw in 2019.

This year is different though because their secondary is also loaded. Charvarius Ward and Deommodore Lenoir are both Pro Bowl candidates at cornerback, as are safeties Ji’Ayir Brown and Talanoa Hufanga. That group churns out a ton of takeaways in this universe where it all goes right.

While the 49ers may miss Dre Greenlaw alongside Fred Warner, De’Vondre Campbell looks more like his 2021 self and when Greenlaw does return he works in as the Sam LB who only plays a handful of snaps each game. Campbell is more susceptible in coverage than Greenlaw, but he’s overall a fine replacement and the 49ers don’t lose much in the linebacking corps.

All of those pieces falling into place give the 49ers a No. 1 offense and a No. 1 defense going into the playoffs. Once they’re there, their experience takes over and they steamroll their way to a Super Bowl where they finally knock off Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs to earn their sixth Lombardi Trophy.

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49ers superstar returns to full practice after dealing with foot injury

One key player was back to full practice for the 49ers on Wednesday.

The vibes haven’t been great lately for the San Francisco 49ers.

It seemed for a stretch like only bad news was coming out of Santa Clara with the prolonged Brandon Aiyuk hold-in, Trent Williams’s holdout, and an injury list that seemed to grow every day.

One of the early injuries in camp was foot irritation for linebacker Fred Warner. In a bit of good injury news for the 49ers, Warner was back as a full participant in Wednesday’s practice according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner.

It didn’t appear as though Warner’s injury would be one that held him out for a prolonged period. He was even back at practice before Wednesday but was not participating fully.

Still, the 49ers needed a win on the injury front and Warner returning as a full participant before the team’s second preseason game is good news.

It’s unclear whether Warner will play Sunday when the 49ers host the New Orleans Saints. Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated some starters might play since the club had to cancel their joint practices with New Orleans. Those joint sessions are typically classified as game reps for the 49ers so they don’t play their starters in the game.

Given that Warner is just now returning to full practice the team may hold their All-Pro linebacker out of Sunday’s action. Either way, he appears to be on track for Week 1 which is the best news the 49ers could’ve gotten.

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49ers defensive MVP a fringe top-10 player in NFL Top 100 list

Is Fred Warner the 49ers’ defensive MVP?

Trying to pick an MVP of the 49ers on either side of the ball is difficult.

There are arguments to be made for several players on offense, but typically running back Christian McCaffrey gets the nod. San Francisco’s defensive MVP is less clear, but it’s getting harder to argue anyone besides linebacker Fred Warner deserves the crown.

Warner landed at No. 11 overall in NFL Network’s Top 100 players of 2024 – a four spot jump from last season.

Every year there’s some form of controversy around the NFL Top 100, which is a survey of active NFL players conducted by NFL Network. It’s not a definitive ranking by any means. It is, however, a good barometer for how certain players are viewed by their contemporaries.

That Warner was by far the highest-ranked 49ers defender speaks volumes about what he brings to the table for San Francisco. There’s not another 49ers defensive player on the list until No. 27 where defensive end Nick Bosa resides. While Bosa is the one with a Defensive Player of the Year award under his belt, it makes sense that Warner has separated himself amongst his peers.

Bosa’s holdout that lasted until Week 1 of the regular season last year had an impact on his play. While he was still dominant it was a discernible step back from his stellar 2022 campaign.

Meanwhile, Warner has been sensational on a regular basis over the last four years. In that stretch he’s been a First-Team All-Pro three times and he finished sixth in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2023. His range allows him to bottle up run plays to either sideline, and his coverage skills take away a ton of easy throws modern offenses are built around. He’s also the vocal leader of San Francisco’s extremely talented defense.

Perhaps in 2024 Bosa puts together another DPOY campaign that bolsters his case to be the 49ers’ defensive MVP. Going into 2024, however, there aren’t many players on either side of the ball for San Francisco better than Warner.

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