SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Whereas the San Francisco 49ers have been ravaged by damage within the opening weeks of the season, they’d largely prevented the massive, season-ending sort of illnesses. Till Sunday.
Defensive deal with Javon Hargrave suffered {a partially} torn proper triceps in Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, an damage that can require surgical procedure and is more likely to carry his 2024 season to an finish.
“It is a huge [loss],” coach Kyle Shanahan stated. “I believed he had his finest sport yesterday. I believed he was an enormous issue, actually affected the quarterback in that sport. … He is considered one of our higher gamers. He was undoubtedly getting into the proper course and was going to have a giant yr.”
Hargrave wasn’t the one damage replace of notice from Shanahan on Monday. Quarterback Brock Purdy got here out of the sport with again soreness and although an MRI got here again clear, he might be day-to-day this week, in keeping with Shanahan.
As well as, working again Christian McCaffrey flew to Germany over the weekend to go to with a specialist in regards to the persistent Achilles tendonitis that landed him on injured reserve Sept. 14, Shanahan stated.
After the loss to the Rams, Shanahan and the Niners had been hopeful that Hargrave was simply coping with a bruised triceps. Additional imaging revealed the tear Monday, leaving Hargrave in want of a restore. By means of three video games this season, Hargrave had seven tackles and a sack.
With Hargrave out, the Niners are more likely to look in-house for his substitute, with Shanahan pointing to the observe squad the place Evan Anderson or T.Y. McGill are potential choices to be promoted to the roster.
Kevin Givens or Jordan Elliott are the chances on the energetic roster to step right into a beginning function with finish Yetur Gross-Matos able to shifting inside on passing downs. Kalia Davis, who’s on injured reserve with a knee damage, can also be near returning, Shanahan stated, although that is not anticipated to occur this week.
Shanahan additionally indicated there’s an outdoor likelihood Hargrave may return however acknowledged the Niners would wish to make a deep postseason run for that to be potential.
“Whenever you get surgical procedure that is often a couple of months at the least,” Shanahan stated. “If there was an opportunity, it must be late within the playoffs.”
McCaffrey’s journey to Germany comes just a little greater than per week after the Niners positioned him on injured reserve. Shanahan first introduced that McCaffrey was coping with a calf damage Aug. 6. That ailment saved McCaffrey out for the remainder of coaching camp, however he returned to observe main as much as the Week 1 sport in opposition to the New York Jets.
That week, Shanahan additionally revealed that McCaffrey was coping with the Achilles concern and it was that, extra so than the calf, that was bothering him. McCaffrey was then a shock scratch in opposition to the Jets regardless of training on a restricted foundation and being listed as questionable earlier than that sport.
The next week, McCaffrey once more took half in observe however had what Shanahan referred to as his “worst day” Sept. 12. Shanahan acknowledged the following day that McCaffrey was a candidate for injured reserve and the workforce made that transfer official Sept. 14.
As a result of he is on injured reserve, McCaffrey should miss 4 video games earlier than he is eligible to observe or play once more. He is missed two video games already however should sit out at the least subsequent week’s sport in opposition to the New England Patriots and the Oct. 6 sport in opposition to the Arizona Cardinals.
The earliest McCaffrey may return could be Oct. 10 on the Seattle Seahawks, although Shanahan has stated “no person is aware of” when he’ll really be again due to unpredictable nature of his damage.
McCaffrey is not the primary athlete to journey overseas to cope with damage. Kobe Bryant, Tiger Woods and others have gone to Germany for remedy over time.
“I am undecided what physician it’s,” Shanahan stated. “I do know he will see a specialist that he believes may help him along with his Achilles course of and I feel he is doing that over these subsequent few days. Hopefully it would assist.”
The damage information wasn’t all unhealthy for the Niners on Monday. Shanahan stated the Niners are hoping to get tight finish George Kittle, who missed Sunday’s sport with a hamstring damage, again to observe this week and cornerback Charvarius Ward (knee, hamstring) is “good to go.”
After having good damage luck of their Tremendous Bowl run final yr, the Niners have been hit a lot tougher to date this season.
“Final yr simply with a few of our primary guys, we had been very lucky they did not miss too many video games,” Shanahan stated. “This yr has been completely totally different to begin out in order that’s been actually powerful. I attempt to keep constructive with it that each one of them are finally going to come back again, however that in all probability modified with Hargrave in the present day in order that was a troublesome tablet to swallow there. However we undoubtedly have not had the luck that we had final yr.”
