49ers training camp: Analyzing injuries as dog days of practice arrive
The 49ers have gone through two of their four-day blocks of practices and appeared to hit a wall Sunday — the last of four consecutive days on the field in pads. The team has an off day Monday and it couldn’t come sooner based on what happened Sunday morning.
The day featured some prominent injuries and notable absences as coach Kyle Shanahan had his team go through full-team, game-like drills that included just about everything but tackling.
But the big news had to do with promising receiver Brandon Aiyuk coming up lame, grabbing his left hamstring and exiting, and pass rusher Dee Ford not participating in team drills after he was seen suffering an apparent injury early in one-on-one drills.
First, Aiyuk, who had been putting together the best training camp performance for a rookie receiver in years. That may sound hyperbolic but it’s true. A case could be made he’s been the team’s most productive receiver and it’s become clear over the last week Shanahan plans to use him as much as any other wideout on the roster.
Rookie receivers, at least in San Francisco’s case, are typically slow to develop and stand out during summer practice. Their acclimation can be stunted by the reliance on timing, the 49ers’ quality pass defense and learning the complex playbook. It was true for Deebo Samuel last summer before his excellent rookie year. Samuel was slow to be integrated into the offense during the first two weeks of training camp that were open to media in full.
But Aiyuk has earned the trust of the coaching staff to give him as many practice reps as any other receiver — and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who has targeted Aiyuk as often as Kendrick Bourne, arguably the team’s most reliable pass catcher not named tight end George Kittle.
The team didn’t have an update on Aiyuk’s injury as of Sunday afternoon after he appeared to tweak something while running a deep route. He limped off the field and appeared dejected on the sideline after speaking with the training staff.
While unknown, it’s likely he’ll miss time next week during the last string of training camp. The No. 25 pick in the draft will surely have his leg tested thoroughly over the next 24 hours. Shanahan isn’t expected to address the media until after Tuesday’s practice.
Who will be ready for Week 1?
Aiyuk’s Week 1 availability will be a big story line. The regular-season opener against the Arizona Cardinals is less than three weeks away and the team might already be bracing for Samuel’s absence as he continues to work back from a broken foot and Jalen Hurd’s season-ending ACL tear.
Without Aiyuk and Samuel, the 49ers’ top receivers would be Bourne, Trent Taylor and Dante Pettis. Surely Arizona’s defense wouldn’t mind San Francisco missing Samuel and Aiyuk.
On Ford, he was seen by an NBC Sports Bay Area reporter coming up lame after his first one-on-one pass rushing drill. He remained on the field but didn’t participate in full team drills.
Defensive lineman Nick Bosa was also given the practice off (as was cornerback Richard Sherman), leaving Arik Armstead and Kerry Hyder to get the bulk of full-team reps. Hyder has been playing well and seems poised to earn a roster spot as a primary backup to Ford and Bosa while the 49ers await the return of Ronald Blair III from last November’s ACL tear.
The prognosis of Ford’s injury is unknown. It’s also unknown whether the injury had anything to do with last year’s hamstring issue or his offseason knee surgery he had to cleanup the tendinitis. His goal entering the season is to be available for every game after playing in 11 last year and being in on just 22 percent of the defensive snaps.
Without Ford last year, the 49ers averaged 1.8 sacks per game. With him, that number nearly doubled to 3.5.
“A successful season for me is me, every play, being the best that I can be every play, and being available every play,” Ford said earlier this month. “The numbers will always take care of themselves because we all know what type of player that I am.”
▪ Aiyuk and Ford weren’t the only players to suffer injuries. Reserve offensive lineman Ross Reynolds after a running play couldn’t get up and was in considerable pain. Practice had to stop and he was carted off the field with an apparent lower left leg injury.
Reynolds, who signed as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and spent the season on the practice squad, is competing for a roster spot to provide depth in an area the 49ers could use some. He’s been working at guard and center.
San Francisco is essentially on its third-string center, Daniel Brunskill, because Ben Garland is dealing with an ankle sprain and Weston Richburg remains on the physically unable to perform list from tearing his patellar tendon in December. Reynolds’ work at center had been increasing.
That leaves the 49ers with Hroniss Grasu, who was signed Thursday, following the sudden retirement of Spencer Long, who was only brought in after Jake Brendel decided to opt out of the season. Fifth-round pick Colton McKivitz, who has seen his reps increase, could also get some run at center.
▪ Backup tight end Ross Dwelley missed his second consecutive practice with a foot issue. The team worked out two tight ends, Caleb Repp and Erik Swoope, according to an ESPN report, which indicates the team might be fearing an extended absence from the Oak Ridge High School alum.
The 49ers only have three healthy tight ends on the roster: George Kittle and two rookies, sixth-round draft choice Charlie Woerner and college free agent Chase Harrell. Woerner had a good day of practice Sunday while making a handful of catches on passes from Garoppolo.
Newcomer Jordan Reed made a rare appearance on the practice field wearing cleats and a helmet during warmups, but no pads. He continues to work out to get back into football shape after missing all of last season.
▪ It was a good day of practice from linebacker Kwon Alexander, who has been strong defending the run in full-team drills and showed off his coverage chops with at least a couple pass break ups on Sunday, including one attempt to Bourne.
Alexander also confirmed he had surgery to repair a biceps injury soon after the Super Bowl that didn’t affect his offseason regimen.
“But my bicep wasn’t hurting at all so when I got the surgery, it wasn’t hurting,” Alexander said. “I was just rehabbing and rehabbing man and it got stronger and stronger. And I just went from there.”
Alexander is spending his first healthy training camp with the 49ers and has proven to be a quick healer. He played last season less than a year removed from tearing his ACL with the Buccaneers in 2018 and came back sooner than most expected during last winter’s playoffs after tearing his pectoral on Halloween.
This story was originally published August 24, 2020 at 4:00 AM.
