49ers notebook: Shanahan offers outlook for Garoppolo, Kittle; Pettis waived
It’s been a whirlwind for the 49ers and their head coach Kyle Shanahan following Sunday’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks.
Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle suffered injuries that might cost them their seasons, the team traded one of its highest paid defenders in Kwon Alexander and former second-round draft choice, Dante Pettis, was waived.
Shanahan on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday night’s game against the Green Bay Packers, offered updates on Garoppolo and Kittle’s injuries, indicating both situations are fluid while their seasons could be in jeopardy with eight games to play.
Shanahan indicated Garoppolo didn’t aggravate the same high ankle sprain to his right leg he’s been dealing with since Week 2. Rather, it’s an entirely new injury that was worse than the initial sprain and could require season-ending surgery.
“When you have those high ankle sprains, you re-injure them a lot, but it was a different way that he did it. It’s basically doing it all over again in a different way,” Shanahan said. “That’s why we know it’s probably going to be — it’s usually four to six weeks with high ankle sprains. It is worse than the last one. That’s why surgery is an option. So we’re just getting different doctors’ opinions now.”
If Garoppolo opts not to have surgery, four to six weeks would mean a return in December. But given the 49ers (4-4) are without so many key players on both sides of the ball, there’s a chance the team decides to keep Garoppolo on ice rather than bringing him back if the team is out of the playoff race.
Regarding Kittle, Shanahan said it’s an eight-week injury. But there’s a chance he returns sooner knowing the All-Pro tight end and his knack for playing through pain. Either way, he’ll miss at least the next three games as he and Garoppolo are both slated to go on injured reserve at some point this week.
“I think they told me eight weeks. Kittle says two, but that’s how he rolls,” said Shanahan. “But that’s why he’ll go on IR and if it’s better than what they’re saying then he’ll have a chance to come back this year but eight weeks is eight weeks.”
Shanahan said the initial X-rays at CenturyLink Field in Seattle didn’t reveal the fracture. It took further testing in the Bay Area on Monday that revealed the fracture that caused Kittle to leave the game in the fourth quarter.
The injuries mean the 49ers will ride it out Thursday with Nick Mullens at quarterback in a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game while Ross Dwelley will likely serve as the top tight end. Jordan Reed, who’s been on IR since suffering a knee injury against the Giants Week 3, was limited in Tuesday’s light practice and is iffy to play Thursday.
49ers cut ties with Dante Pettis
Dante Pettis showed flashes of promise as a rookie but was unable to sustain that level of play or improve in his two seasons since. The 49ers waived the 2018 second-round draft choice on Tuesday after he failed to offer much help to a receiving corps that could have badly used some during his time with the team.
The final straw was Pettis fumbling on a third-quarter kickoff return Sunday in Seattle, giving one more fumble on the season than he had receptions (zero). Pettis left the game with a stinger, according to a league source.
Something seemed afoot Tuesday when Pettis’ name wasn’t mentioned on Shanahan’s injury report to open his Zoom news conference. It came out minutes after Shanahan finished speaking that Pettis had been waived.
His career with San Francisco: 28 games, 12 starts, 70 targets, 38 catches (54.3 percent completion rate), 576 yards and seven touchdowns with five coming during his rookie season.
Alexander trade cuts deep
Linebacker Kwon Alexander might have been one of the most popular players in the 49ers locker room even while he missed time with injuries or failed to play to the level of his lofty contract that made him one of the NFL’s highest paid at his position. Star defensive end Nick Bosa called Alexander the defense’s “MVP” during the Super Bowl run last season.
San Francisco traded Alexander on Monday for cap relief, in the neighborhood of $10 million next season. But players and coaches sounded broken up about it given the high regard Alexander earned within the organization.
“I love Kwon Alexander. It broke my heart to have to tell him what we did yesterday,” Shanahan said.
Added linebacker Fred Warner: “It was emotional to say the least. Just what Kwon has meant, not only to this entire team, but to me. I wouldn’t be where I’m at in my game, as a player, if it wasn’t for Kwon and everything that he’s taught me and brought to my game and brought out of me.”
The 49ers signed Alexander to a four-year, $54 million contract in the spring of 2019. He went on to appear in eight games last season before tearing a pectoral muscle on Halloween and missing the final eight games before making a surprise return for the playoffs. Alexander appeared in five games this season and recently dealt with a mild high ankle sprain that kept him from the last two contests.
San Francisco believes second-year pro Dre Greenlaw is an adequate replacement on a far-cheaper rookie contract. He’ll make upwards of $900,000 and just over $1 million over the next two seasons, respectively, while Alexander had $15 million cap hits over the next two years after restructuring his contract last fall.
“There is a lot of pain, just from a personal standpoint with Kwon and what he’s brought to us. Not only as a man, but as a player,” defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. “The energy, the leadership, the honesty, the practice habits, all of it, Kwon is one of the more genuine human beings I’ve ever been around.”
The 49ers will play Alexander when they visit the Saints on Nov. 15.
▪ Shanahan ruled out a handful of players for Thursday night’s game: running back Tevin Coleman (knee sprain), linebacker Demetrius Flanningan-Fowles (hamstring) and receiver Deebo Samuel (hamstring).
Safety Jaquiski Tartt (groin) and receiver Richie James Jr. (hamstring) were limited during Tuesday’s practice.
▪ The 49ers on Tuesday also waived defensive lineman Jullian Taylor, who tore his ACL last December. Taylor reportedly failed a physical, according to NBC Sports Bay Area, and was waived off injured reserve.
▪ The Packers this week were notified running back A.J. Dillon tested positive for COVID-19 and running back Jamaal Williams and linebacker Kamal Martin were considered close contacts via contact tracing, according to an ESPN report. Protocols would prohibit WIlliams and Martin from playing Thursday if they were considered at risk.
This story was originally published November 3, 2020 at 4:03 PM.