49ers notebook: Three injured players nearing return; Hasty chooses to stay put
Three days after losing a running back and pass catcher in the win over New England, the 49ers welcomed back a running back and pass catcher to the practice field.
Running back Tevin Coleman and tight end Jordan Reed, who are both on injured reserve with recent knee sprains, had their three-week practice windows opened this week and were on the field with their teammates during Wednesday’s practice. Their returns could be timely given the team lost running back Jeff Wilson Jr. (high ankle sprain) and receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring strain) for a month and two weeks, respectively, Sunday against the Patriots.
However, the returns of Coleman and Reed at practice don’t guarantee they’ll play for the 49ers offense Sunday in a pivotal divisional game against the Seattle Seahawks.
It sounds like Coleman has the best chance, though head coach Kyle Shanahan on Wednesday indicated the team might be eyeing the following game against the Green Bay Packers for their returns. That game will be played on a short week next Thursday at Levi’s Stadium.
“But I’m still holding out hope for this week,” Shanahan said.
Coleman was listed as a limited participant Wednesday while Shanahan indicated Reed likely wouldn’t get into full-team drills.
The 49ers also welcomed back slot cornerback K’Waun Williams to the practice field, which could give the NFL’s No. 5-ranked defense a boost whenever he’s ready to return to game action. Williams is also working back from a knee sprain that landed him on IR after Week 4 loss to the Eagles. He dealt with a calf injury throughout training camp.
San Francisco might not have to rush Williams back given the play of Jamar Taylor, who had a pair of interceptions Sunday in the blowout victory over the New England Patriots.
JaMycal Hasty chooses 49ers over other offers
Running back JaMycal Hasty, who started the season on the practice squad and has emerged as a potent runner while injuries to other running backs have stacked up, could have bolted for more money elsewhere but decided to stick with the defending NFC champs, Shanahan said Wednesday.
Players on the practice squad are free to sign with other teams if it means being added to the active roster, which also means getting a significant raise (from $8,400 a week to nearly $36,000). But Hasty decided the best career move was to reject multiple offers to join other teams, and get a healthy raise, and instead stick with San Francisco.
“The guy has been committed to stay here,” Shanahan said. “We have expressed our plans for him and the guy had to make a tough decision a few weeks ago, whether to stay here on practice squad for another week or go to another team and he chose to stay here. He believed he’d eventually get his opportunity. We told him we didn’t know when, but it ended up happening the next week. So, he was ready and I’m glad he’s here for it.”
Shanahan and running backs coach Bobby Turner, of course, have a knack for developing undrafted running backs and turning them into productive NFL pros. Raheem Mostert went from afterthought special teams standout to NFC championship game hero last winter and remains the team’s top running back. Matt Breida and Wilson have carved out promising NFL careers after going undrafted. Hasty could be next.
Shanahan was asked about his conversations with players mulling those decisions to leave versus staying the course.
“I just try to tell guys that, a week’s paycheck, that might help your lifestyle for a little bit, but that’s not money that’s going to last you,” Shanahan said. “If you want money in this league, you’ve got to make it and you’ve got to get to that second contract if you ever want to have some savings and stuff like that. So, are you looking at just trying to have a better lifestyle or are you looking at trying to change your life and maybe change your family’s life and your kids’?
“If you want to look at it that way, you’ve got to be in the right situation, the one that you think will be the best decision long-term, not short-term. When you have a certain skill set and you fit, we can sell to a person how we think they might be better for us than other teams and they really listen and they’re trying to make the right decision, not just off of the check that week.”
With Mostert, Wilson and possibly Coleman missing more time, Hasty could have a significant role over the coming weeks, which could also mean potentially starting in Seattle after Shanahan decided to bump Wilson into that role over Jerick McKinnon, San Francisco’s only halfback to suit up in every game this season.
Hasty has played in five games and notched 103 yards on 20 carries (5.2-yard average) while adding a pair of receptions for 25 yards.
Seahawks trade for Dunlap, but he won’t play Sunday
Seattle’s defense is ranked dead last in opponents’ yardage in large part because the team has struggled to field a consistent pass rush. So the team made a trade on Wednesday to add former Bengals pass rusher Carlos Dunlap to bolster the defensive line, according to multiple reports.
But because of COVID-19 protocols, Dunlap won’t be available to play for the Seahawks in time for Sunday’s game. He’ll first be eligible to join his new team for its following game Week 9 against the Buffalo Bills.
Dunlap, 31, has spent 11 seasons with Cincinnati and recently fell out of favor with second-year coach Zac Taylor. Dunlap’s resume includes 82.5 career sacks, 490 tackles, 115 starts, 60 pass breakups and 20 forced fumbles. Though he has just one sack in seven games this season.
Seattle traded offensive lineman B.J. Finney and a 2021 seventh-round pick to the Bengals. Dunlap is signed through this season and next. His remaining cap figure for 2020 is $4.9 million and $11.25 million in 2021.
Jamal Adams returns to Seahawks practice
Seahawks star strong safety Jamal Adams returned to practice Wednesday as a limited participant after missing the last three games with a groin injury, though it’s unclear if he’ll make his return to play Sunday against 49ers.
“We’ll see, we’re going day to day,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said in a conference call with Bay Area reporters. “We’ll see how he does. He’ll be on the practice field for the first time today since he was injured. I don’t have much to report right now.”
The Seahawks have allowed 369 yards passing per game to opponents this season. Clearly getting Adams back would be a big development with star tight end George Kittle on the horizon.
▪ The 49ers had no limited participants in Wednesday’s practice and only listed players who did not participate. They were linebacker Kwon Alexander (ankle), receivers Richie James (ankle) and Samuel (hamstring), safeties Jaquiski Tartt (groin) and Jimmie Ward (quadricep), cornerback CB Jason Verrett (vet day) and Wilson (ankle).
▪ The 49ers brought back defensive lineman Alex Barrett, receiver Chris Finke and cornerback Parnell Motley to the practice squad. Finke initially joined the team as an undrafted free agent in the spring. Motley was recently claimed off waivers from the Buccaneers but didn’t play over the weekend and was released. Barrett has had multiple stints on the active roster.
Defensive lineman Josiah Coatney was released from the practice squad.
This story was originally published October 28, 2020 at 4:05 PM.
