49ers notebook: Samuel, Bourne uncertain for Saints game
The 49ers’ healthy receivers at practice ahead of the New Orleans Saints game have been rookie Brandon Aiyuk and Richie James Jr.
That’s it.
Deebo Samuel has missed both sessions with a hamstring injury while Kendrick Bourne hasn’t been allowed in team headquarters for anything beyond a COVID-19 screening since last week. River Cracraft, who was recently promoted from the practice squad and was targeted five times in last week’s loss to the Packers, missed Thursday’s session with a quadriceps contusion suffered Wednesday.
Trent Taylor returned to practice Thursday after back stiffness kept him out Wednesday and Dante Pettis was waived last week and is now a New York Giant.
Which means there are plenty of questions at receiver ahead of Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints. Among them, will either Samuel or Bourne return to practice Friday in time to help out backup quarterback Nick Mullens in the Super Dome?
Asked about injuries during a KNBR interview on Thursday, Shanahan offered updates, though he wasn’t optimistic about Samuel, who missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.
“I think he’s a pretty (big) longshot for this weekend,” Shanahan said.
On Bourne: “I know there’s a chance we can get him here (Friday) with the COVID protocols. ... If Bourne can get in, it’ll be a good deal, because normally missing that much practice, I’d probably go a different direction, but we’re a little depleted right now.”
Shanahan also noted Cracraft will likely be a game-time decision. Given all the injuries, the 49ers could call on Kevin White, who has appeared in three games but has not been targeted.
“Yeah, it’s definitely been a fluid situation over the past couple of weeks and (one of) the things that we’ve had to deal with,” Mullens said on Zoom Thursday. “But, at the same time, those are guys that I’ve gotten reps with, whether it be camp, practice, throughout the years. So, there’s guys that I’ve worked with. I like that. We feel very comfortable with each other and every practice rep matters and that’s what counts.”
The silver lining could be James getting another shot at a prominent role. The third-year pro is coming off a career night last Thursday against Green Bay when he recorded nine catches for 184 yards and a touchdown. He came into the game with just 295 yards combined over his first two seasons.
James on Thursday was asked about his lack of opportunities during his first two seasons.
“Just knowing the opportunity’s going to come eventually,” James said, “obviously it comes with time and patience and how the business works. That’s probably the thing that will continue to keep my head (in the right place) as we go along in this process.”
Saleh explains lack of sacks for Armstead, Kinlaw
The 49ers in 2019 finished fifth in the NFL with 48 sacks while having the top-ranked passing defense in the NFL. Of course, the team was getting strong campaigns from eventual rookie of the year, Nick Bosa, stalwart DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, who led the team with a career-high 10 sacks, more than the 9.0 he posted over his first four seasons combined.
This season, Bosa has been out since Week 2 after tearing an ACL, Buckner is an Indianapolis Colt and Armstead has just 1.5 sacks through nine games. Javon Kinlaw, the first-round pick added to replace Buckner, is still looking for his first career sack.
Not surprisingly, San Francisco this season has 15 sacks, 23rd in the NFL. The 49ers are on pace for 26, just over half of their sack production from last year. Kerry Hyder leads the team with 4.5 after he was expected to be a backup.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was asked about the discrepancies Thursday and described what he sees with Armstead and Kinlaw regarding their lack of sacks.
“First and second down, a lot of teams give us a lot of play action, hard sets, which is a difficult transition for a rookie to make, especially,” Saleh said about Kinlaw. “So, while it may look like he has a one-on-one set or one-on-one opportunity, it could be a play action where he’s got to transfer from a run mentality to a pass mentality, which takes time.”
Saleh also noted Kinlaw’s progression is similar to Buckner’s in that he needs to get one step better when it comes to getting to the quarterback more consistently.
“We talked about he needs to find that one step,” Saleh said. “I feel like that’s where Kinlaw is with regards to, he’s had some opportunities, he’s missing a step and that just comes with time and reps and learning. I believe that he’s going to get all that.”
Buckner, in his first season under Saleh in 2017, had just 3.0 sacks and then a career-best 12.0 a year later. His best season might have been in 2019, but his sack total dropped to 7.5 in part because Armstead and Bosa were getting to the quarterback at a consistent rate.
Regarding Armstead, Saleh noted the team’s injury situation, with Bosa and Dee Ford sidelined, has led to team’s focusing their protection schemes around Armstead, who has had to play more defensive end after working primarily as an interior rushing on third downs last season.
“Arik is getting a lot of attention with regards to the way teams are blocking, the way teams slide the front to him and all that stuff,” Saleh said. “His one-on-ones are even more limited than what Javon’s been able to get. So, on the flip side, when he does get those one-on-ones, he knows it and everyone knows that he’s got to win those opportunities. He’s got to take advantage of them, but at the same time, that’s on us as coaches to find ways to get him more one-on-one opportunities. That’s an every-week thing.”
▪ 49ers who didn’t practice Thursday: running back Tevin Coleman (knee), Cracraft, linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (hamstring), Samuel (hamstring) and slot cornerback K’Waun Williams (ankle). Taylor was limited.
Shanahan has already ruled out Coleman, Flannigan-Fowles and Williams, who is expected to miss four to six weeks and could be out for the year with just seven games remaining. Shanahan said strong safety Jaquiski Tartt’s season is over following a turf toe injury last week against the Packers.
▪ A 25-foot sinkhole opened up in the parking lot behind the 49ers practice field late Wednesday night, swallowing two cars, according to a report from SF Gate. It caused a flood of mud into the parking lot that required work throughout Thursday. It did not impact the 49ers practice field, which was about 30 yards away.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 7:04 AM.
