49ers pregame: Torrey Smith active; Aaron Lynch is not

Receiver Torrey Smith is active for today's game against the Bengals but outside linebacker Aaron Lynch will miss his second straight start due to post-concussion issues.

Lynch was concussed in the third quarter of the 49ers’ Dec. 6 game against Chicago. He left that game, practiced late in the week as the Browns game approached and traveled with the team to Cleveland. But the 49ers’ medical staff did not like how he looked in Cleveland and deactivated him before the game.

Lynch practiced this past week but was in a blue, no-contact jersey, a signal that he had not completely passed the league-mandated post-concussion protocol. A pre-game announcement said rookie Eli Harold, not Corey Lemonier, will start in Lynch’s place. Tank Carradine also is expected to see snaps as an edge rusher against the Bengals.

Smith, meanwhile, missed Wednesday's and Thursday's practices due to a back issue, but he was on hand Friday. He has not missed a game due to injury since entering the NFL in 2011.

Cornerback Tramaine Brock, who was a late add to the injury report Friday with a ‘questionable’ designation, also is active for today’s game. Marcus Martin will start at left guard for injured Alex Boone (knee). Gerald Hodges will make his second straight start at inside linebacker in place of Michael Wilhoite (ankle).

Et cetera -- Colin Kaepernick had planned to be on the sideline for today's game, his first since last month's shoulder surgery. However, the team's medical staff decided that the risk of damaging the still-healing shoulder was too great. Kaepernick's recovery time is four to six months.

* The skies around Levi’s Stadium remain full of animus about the 49ers’ owner. A banner reading, “Hold Jed Accountable” was being flown around the stadium about two hours before kickoff. Before the last home game, Nov. 29, a banner that read, “Jed & 49ers should mutually part ways,” was flown before kickoff.

* Rookie Ian Silberman is active for the first time since Week 1. Jordan Devey, meanwhile, is inactive for the first time this season.

49ers inactives

OLB Aaron Lynch

OL Brandon Thomas

OL Jordan Devey

OL Alex Boone

LB Michael Wilhoite

WR DeAndrew White

CB Chris Davis

Bengals inactives

QB Andy Dalton

WR Mario Alford

S George Iloka

OT Jake Fisher

TE Tyler Eifert

DT Marcus Hardison

DT Pat Sims

This story was originally published December 20, 2015 at 12:07 PM with the headline "49ers pregame: Torrey Smith active; Aaron Lynch is not."