Tag: San Francisco 49ers

NFC West Watch: 49ers rule Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa OUT for Week 12

NFC West Watch: 49ers rule Brock Purdy and Nick Bosa OUT for Week 12

The Seattle Seahawks’ arch rivals, the San Francisco 49ers, did not just lose a game last week. Their 20-17 defeat proved to be even costlier than simply losing ground to Seattle in the NFC West. During the game, superstar defensive end Nick Bosa left after suffering a new oblique injury. After the game it became clear he was going to miss some time. Unfortunately for San Francisco, Bosa was not the only casualty.

On Friday, the Niners announced Bosa would be OUT for their game against the Green Bay Packers. Joining him on the sideline is also quarterback Brock Purdy, who was similarly ruled OUT in Week 12.

Purdy took a hit on his arm from Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon and played the remainder of the game, but there was sightings of him on the sideline with an arm brace. The official word has him dealing with a shoulder injury.

In his place will be backup Brandon Allen, who was previously with the Denver Broncos and Cincinnati Bengals. Originally a sixth round selection by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2016 NFL Draft, Allen spent the first four years of his career as a third stringer/practice squad member for Jacksonville and the Los Angeles Rams. He eventually got his first start in 2019 with the Broncos. Allen’s career record as a starter is 2-7. It will be his first start since the 2021 season. He has thrown 10 touchdown passes against six interceptions.

The news to Purdy and Bosa continue the trend of brutal injury luck for the 49ers, who are struggling to regain their dominant form from last year. San Francisco will now have to enter Lambeau Field to play the 7-3 Packers, who certainly remember how close they came to knocking off the Niners in the playoffs last year, without their starting quarterback and best defensive player.

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Seahawks’ chances to win NFC West will be drastically altered by Cardinals outcome

Seahawks’ chances to win NFC West will be drastically altered by Cardinals outcome

The Seattle Seahawks significantly improved their postseason chances by defeating their divisional rival San Francisco 49ers 20-17 in Week 11. The Seahawks now find themselves in a three-way standings tie in the division with the 49ers and Los Angeles Rams, with all three teams at 5-5. Sunday’s Week 12 opponent is the Arizona Cardinals, who are leading the NFC West with a surprising record of 6-4.

The victory over San Francisco boosted Seattle’s postseason odds to 11%, according to The Athletic’s playoff model. Their odds of winning the NFC West currently stands at 8%. The remaining difference includes the opportunity to make the playoffs via the wild card.

Unsurprisingly, those odds will be drastically altered following Sunday’s outcome versus the Cardinals. With a victory, head coach Mike Macdonald will witness his postseason odds increase to 21%, with his chances to capture the division title upgraded to 16%, doubling from its current number. A loss would represent a major setback, with just 4% postseason odds, and 2% NFC West odds, per Michael-Shawn Dugar.

The Seahawks are currently 1-2 within the NFC West, having suffered defeats to the 49ers and Rams. Falling to 1-3 would drastically hinder their chances of winning the division. Following Sunday, the Seahawks have their final two divisional games against the Cardinals in Week 14, and the Rams in Week 18’s regular-season finale.

Sunday’s home showdown versus the Cardinals at Lumen Field will understandably have a playoff-like atmosphere.

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49ers may need to make special teams change in Week 12

An injury could force a change on special teams for the 49ers.

Injuries to defensive end Nick Bosa and quarterback Brock Purdy headline some potential health issues that could force changes on each side of the ball for the San Francisco 49ers when they visit the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.

However, a concussion for rookie fourth-round wide receiver Jacob Cowing could push the 49ers into a change on special teams as well.

Cowing has handled punt return duties for the 49ers this season and sustained a concussion in Week 11 when he took a knee to the helmet on a punt return.

He was limited in Wednesday’s practice which provided some optimism that he may be able to pass concussion protocol in time to suit up Sunday. Thursday’s practice report showed Cowing as a non-participant, which throws his status for Sunday’s showdown with the Packers into doubt.

San Francisco has a handful of options to replace Cowing if he’s unable to clear protocol.

Second-year WR Ronnie Bell returned punts for the 49ers last season and worked in there during training camp. Rookie first-round WR Ricky Pearsall has also fielded punts in practice during his time with the 49ers. Pearsall also handled 15 punt returns during his two seasons at the University of Florida.

The only player to return a punt besides Cowing this year was fullback Kyle Juszczyk, but it’s unclear whether the team would want to utilize him there for an entire game. He’s also an option if the club isn’t confident in Bell or Cowing.

Veteran wide receiver Trent Taylor is also available on the practice squad. He’s spent most of his career as a reliable punt returner, and if Cowing is out there could be room for the team to elevate Taylor from the practice roster.

Cowing this season has returned 15 punts for 124 yards with a long of 31 yards. He’s also had two muffed punts, although one came when CB Darrell Luter Jr. was blocked into him.

We’ll find out Friday if Cowing has a chance to go Sunday.

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Kyle Shanahan explains Brock Purdy’s early exit from practice

Brock Purdy left Thursday’s practice early. Head coach Kyle Shanahan shed some light on that:

There’s a question mark for the San Francisco 49ers under center as they enter a crucial Week 12 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

Quarterback Brock Purdy sustained a right shoulder injury in the team’s Week 11 loss to the Seattle Seahawks that head coach Kyle Shanahan classified as ‘soreness.’ Purdy was listed as a limited participant in Wednesday and Thursday’s practices.

He didn’t throw at all Wednesday in the portion of practices open to reporters. Thursday reporters noted Purdy did some light throwing before leaving the field.

Shanahan in an interview on KNBR after practice explained where things stand with the 49ers’ QB heading into Friday.

“He was still limited today,” Shanahan told host Adam Copeland. “He didn’t do as much yesterday, but did a little bit more today. He went out there and did a little bit then went back in about halfway through and rested up. Hopefully it will be feeling great on Sunday.”

It’s interesting that Shanahan said Purdy left the field to rest. There’s no real clarity on whether this is a maintenance issue for Purdy or if he’s unable to throw.

If it’s the former he should be on track to play Sunday in Green Bay. If it’s the latter we may see the team turn to backup QB Brandon Allen in the biggest game of the season.

Friday isn’t liable to provide a ton of clarity unless Purdy practices in full and isn’t on the injury report. He could also be listed as ‘questionable’ which could leave the lingering question mark hanging around until inactives are announced 90 minutes before kickoff.

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49ers may avoid facing one of Packers best defenders in Week 12

The Packers may be without CB Jaire Alexander who is dealing with a PCL tear.

It looks like the San Francisco 49ers may avoid facing one of the Green Bay Packers’ best defenders.

Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander told the Athletic’s Matt Schneidman he sustained a torn PCL in Week 8 that cost him the team’s Week 9 loss to the Detroit Lions and most of their Week 11 win over the Chicago Bears. Green Bay’s Bye was in Week 10.

Alexander, a two-time Pro Bowler and a two-time Second-Team All-Pro, missed the team’s Wednesday and Thursday practices. It doesn’t sound like he’s on track to return any time soon, or at least certainly not by Sunday. He hasn’t been officially ruled out, but it looks like the Packers’ top cornerback will be out for Week 12 when the 49ers visit. Alexander attempted returning in Chicago last week and was limited to only 10 snaps.

If Alexander doesn’t go, Schneidman speculated second-year CB Carrington Valentine would get the start. Valentine started 12 of the 17 games he appeared in as a rookie seventh-round pick last season. This year he’s played in eight games with no starts, though he did receive a lion’s share of the workload after Alexander went out in Week 11.

Carrington has allowed one touchdown as a pro and has yet to record an interception. Quarterbacks have a 82.1 passer rating when targeting him according to Pro Football Focus.

Given some of the 49ers’ struggles with their passing game this season, a team missing its best cornerback could be a significant development for them as they try and exit their offensive rut in time to make a postseason run.

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No news is bad news in 49ers Week 12 injury update

The 49ers practice report didn’t get much better Thursday.

The San Francisco 49ers continued their practice week without any major updates on the injury front.

Perhaps the best news is that running back Christian McCaffrey returned to action after getting a rest day Wednesday. He got limited sessions in to start the first two weeks after his return, so there was a small red flag that went up when he was listed as a non-participant for rest in Week 12. His return to a limited practice Thursday is a good sign that things will be business as usual Friday and he won’t be on the injury report.

The other change was a concerning one for rookie wide receiver Jacob Cowing. He was a limited participant Wednesday while working through concussion protocol. Then Thursday he was a non-participant, indicating he may have had a setback that puts his status in jeopardy for Sunday.

Here’s what the Thursday practice report looked like:

Did not participate

WR Jacob Cowing (concussion)
LB Tatum Bethune (knee)
DE Nick Bosa (hip, oblique)
DT Kevin Givens (groin)
LT Trent Williams (ankle)

No Bosa and no Williams is a pretty significant concern. Both players played through injuries in Week 11, which gives some hope they may be able to do the same in Week 12. However, Bosa is dealing with hip and oblique issues now after just being listed with a hip injury last week. He also pulled himself out of the 49ers’ most recent loss. Williams didn’t practice leading up to Week 11 which gives some optimism he may be able to do the same this week, but even a limited participation Friday would be a good sign.

Limited participation

RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles, rest)
C Jon Feliciano (knee)
TE George Kittle (hamstring)
QB Brock Purdy (right shoulder)
CB Charvarius Ward (not injury related – personal matter)

Another limited workout for Purdy is certainly concerning. Kittle remains optimistic about his return for Week 12, and head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated Ward’s return to practice doesn’t guarantee he’ll be able to suit up Sunday after his absence.

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Jim Harbaugh looking to beat brother for first time: ‘Back on a team that has a chance’

After nine seasons of coaching in the college ranks, Jim returned to the NFL and will have another opportunity to beat his brother.

The Chargers and Ravens will meet this Monday night, marking the third time Jim and John Harbaugh will face off against each other.

The last time the two brothers went head-to-head was nearly 12 years ago in Super Bowl XLVII at the Superdome in New Orleans, LA, when Jim was the head coach of the 49ers.

The Ravens, led by quarterback Joe Flacco, opened with a strong first half with a 21-6 lead by halftime. Up 28-6, a power outage put America’s biggest sporting event on hold for over thirty minutes.

Soon after, the 49ers responded in the second half with 17 unanswered points, including a 31-yard touchdown pass by Colin Kaepernick, to make it 28-23. San Francisco trailed 34-29 at the two-minute warning, but a turnover on downs followed by an intentional safety cost them the game. 

Baltimore won by the score of 34-31. Flacco finished with three touchdown passes, and Jacoby Jones returned a kickoff 108 yards for a score.

“That loss was tough, but after some reflection and time, it’s my brother and best friend,” Jim said. “I’m really proud of him and happy for his success. It was earned.”

After nine seasons in the college ranks and leading the Michigan Wolverines to a national championship, Jim returned to the NFL with another opportunity to beat his brother for the first time.

“Walking off the field at that Super Bowl was like, there will be another day. And then there wasn’t for many years and it looked like I wouldn’t have a chance for another day,” Jim added. “But by the grace of God, I’m back in it and back on a team that has a chance.”

Insider offers wild option at QB for 49ers if they don’t extend Brock Purdy

Oh dear…

It would appear the San Francisco 49ers’ future at quarterback is set with Brock Purdy.

The Athletic’s 49ers beat reporter Matt Barrows isn’t so sure.

Barrows in an appearance on 95.7 the Game in San Francisco told hosts Steiny and Guru that quarterback Aaron Rodgers could be a route the 49ers go instead of extending Purdy in the offseason since their other options are relatively thin.

“I don’t really know what the recourse would be,” Barrows said. “Do you play hardball with Brock Purdy? Who else is going to be your quarterback? Do you want Brandon Allen to be your quarterback? Do you go out and sign Sam Darnold who will be a free agent?

The one sort of intriguing possibility is in New York if things just fall apart with the Jets and all the sudden Aaron Rodgers — a guy that the 49ers were definitely interested in in the past — becomes available.”

It’s hard to imagine San Francisco would still be as interested in Rodgers as they were three or four years ago when his exit from Green Bay looked imminent. His tenure in New York has featured a catastrophic Achilles injury and a worse start than they had under Zach Wilson. Not to mention Rodgers isn’t playing particularly well and he turns 41 on Dec. 2.

Even if they’re still not sold on Purdy, they could conceivably have him play out the final year of his rookie contract before committing to a deal at or near the top of the market. The final pick in the 2022 draft is under contract through the 2025 season.

Rodgers is also under contract through 2025, but New York may be eager to move on from him given how calamitous his tenure there has been.

It sounds, per Barrows, like having Purdy play out his rookie deal would be a route the team went before making a seismic shift to an aging Hall of Famer like Rodgers.

”I just think that — two things — one is that the 49ers are not as down on Brock Purdy as the public is,” Barrows said. “I think they realize Purdy is dealing with a lot of challenges this year. And we can go over them, it’s a laundry list of things that are different from last year and that they’re very happy to have him for the future.

And B, and probably most important … the market is the market. They’re not going to — just like Brandon Aiyuk and wide receivers — they’re not gonna be able to get a discount if Brock Purdy’s numbers dip a little bit this year. That doesn’t come with a discount. They’re gonna have to pay what the going rate for a starting quarterback is, and it’s been well established — some guys we don’t think of as top-tier quarterbacks have gotten paid like top-tier quarterbacks recently.”

If Rodgers does come available, we can probably expect his name to be tied to the 49ers. He and the club are inextricably linked since they passed on him in the 2005 draft, but it sounds more like San Francisco would sooner roll with Purdy than take on Rodgers at this point.

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49ers solve biggest roster flaw in ESPN mock draft

The 49ers address the offensive line in the latest mock draft from ESPN.

While the stretch run and playoff push of the season is looming in the NFL, the college football schedule is entering the final two weeks before conference championships, bowl season and the highly-anticipated 12-team playoff.

As the college football season heats up, the final handful of weeks will display some of the top prospects in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft class for the final time.

In the latest NFL mock draft from ESPN draft analyst Matt Miller, the San Francisco 49ers addressed their offensive line in the first round. With the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 edition of the NFL draft, Miller penned Texas Longhorns offensive tackle Cameron Williams.

According to Miller, Williams’ game is still “raw,” but he could be a “long-term fix” for the 49ers offensive line on the right side alongside breakout young guard Dominick Puni.

Via ESPN:

He’s a first-year starter, and his game is still raw, but he shows considerable potential. The 6-foot-5, 335-pounder has drawn comparisons to 2024 first-rounder Amarius Mims in terms of his strength and agility, with one NFC South area scout telling me that Williams has a chance to be the first OT drafted if he declares. The 49ers could plug him next to guard Dominick Puni, their third-round pick in 2024, and form an incredibly young and strong right side of the line.

Read Miller’s full mock draft here via ESPN. 

The former three-star recruit is listed at 6-foot-5, 335 lbs. Williams plays on the opposite side of the Longhorns’ line as fellow top offensive tackle prospect Kelvin Banks.

According to Pro Football Focus, Williams has earned a 72.0 offensive grade this season with a 79.3 pass-blocking grade and a 76.2 run-blocking grade. Williams earned his best grade during Texas’ contest against Vanderbilt with an 81.1 grade.

Williams will suit up for Texas against Kentucky on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. PT.

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

What to make of Christian McCaffrey’s absence from 49ers practice

Christian McCaffrey wasn’t in practice Wednesday, but there’s no real cause for concern.

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey sat out the team’s practice Wednesday in the lead up to a Week 12 showdown with the Green Bay Packers.

This is a slight departure from McCaffrey’s routine during his first two weeks back with the club after a nine-week absence due to Achilles tendinitis. During those first two weeks he was a limited participant in practice Wednesday and Thursday before getting a full practice in Friday.

Wednesday of Week 12 was a little different. The 49ers listed McCaffrey as a non-participant. His Achilles injury is still listed, but they also specified that his absence was for rest and was not injury related.

It makes sense that the team would rest McCaffrey given his workload in a Week 11 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He played 59 snaps and notched 19 carries along with four receptions. The 23 touches were four more than his 19 the week prior.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated the team plans to continue utilizing McCaffrey as much as possible in games, so an additional day off during the week would behoove a team trying to manage an Achilles issue for its superstar running back.

Chances are McCaffrey is back Thursday and ready to suit up Sunday against the Green Bay Packers.

If he isn’t back Thursday, there may be a bigger issue. For now, his absence is simply a rest day.

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