The 49ers got a bit of decent injury news over the weekend, with Kyle Shanahan sharing that two pass rushers won’t miss much time on the field.
The 49ers’ head coach said that both defensive ends Leonard Floyd and Yetur Gross-Matos escaped major injuries during the final preseason game Friday. Both men suffered the injuries in the first quarter of the contest, and were ruled out thereafter. Floyd is listed as day-to-day entering this week, while Gross-Matos is week-to-week. Both were brought in to alleviate some defensive line depth woes, presumably integral players of the rotation for 2024.
“I would not think so,” the 49ers coach said Sunday, regarding injured reserve for Gross-Matos. “With it just been week to week, so we’ll see how this week goes, and hopefully he’ll have a chance to get back in practice next week for Week 1. But we haven’t mentioned anything about IR.”
Unfortunately, not all injury news was good from Kyle Shanahan, as linebacker Dee Winters has an ankle injury. An MRI is still needed to determine the extent, with that to be determined at this time. The second-year LB has been a standout in the offseason, earning more and more opportunities throughout the preseason.
Additionally, former All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga will likley not practice this week, as a final decision on his status still remains unclear. Hufanga is recovering from an ACL tear suffered Week 11 last season. He has not seen the field since, with all possibilities, including the Physically-Unable-to-Perform list (PUP), still in play before Wednesday’s practice.
Lastly, Shanahan shared that rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall will return to the practice field Monday.
Pearsall, 23, has been off and on-the-field thus far, dealing with a few nagging ailments. This latest injury has been a re-aggravation of a previous shoulder issue. He initially suffered it in college, carrying it to OTAs with the 49ers. A hamstring issue also sidelined the rookie wideout to begin training camp.
Monday’s practice would be Pearsall’s first in multiple weeks.
