SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Within the midst of a rash of accidents that has hit the huge receiver room notably laborious, San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan supplied the closest factor to a return date for Brandon Aiyuk for the primary time Monday.
Whereas Shanahan was certain so as to add the mandatory caveats that issues can change with a severe damage such because the torn ACL and MCL in Aiyuk’s proper knee, his present hope is to have Aiyuk again a bit of earlier than midseason together with security Malik Mustapha and quarterback Kurtis Rourke, each of whom are additionally coping with ACL accidents.
“I type of view all these guys across the similar time,” Shanahan mentioned. “Whether or not it is Mustafa, whether or not it is Rourke or whether or not it is Brandon. They’re all at totally different levels, however the place they’re at, I at all times see ’em round Week 6, which implies that may very well be Week 10, it means it may very well be Week 5, however that is the world the place I begin desirous about it, which is a great distance away. I do know it is not Week 1 or something like that, so it is one thing I am probably not desirous about an excessive amount of.”
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Aiyuk stays on the bodily unable to carry out checklist due to the knee damage he suffered towards the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs in Week 7 of final season. Aiyuk has been across the workforce all through this coaching camp, providing tricks to the wholesome receivers as they undergo observe and serving to receivers coach Leonard Hankerson break down performs in conferences.
However Aiyuk’s knee damage wasn’t as clear as others, which is why an almost yearlong timetable has been eyed. His potential return took on much more significance given the continued rash of accidents that has hit the Niners at receiver.
One of many few who had been a gentle presence was rookie Jordan Watkins, a fourth-round select of Mississippi who made a 50-yard catch in his preseason debut towards the Denver Broncos on Saturday evening.
Watkins performed the entire sport seemingly with out challenge however informed the workforce of some ache Sunday. An MRI revealed that Watkins is coping with a excessive ankle sprain, one Shanahan mentioned Monday will doubtless hold Watkins out for a few month.
The 49ers practiced Monday with out Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings (calf), Jacob Cowing (hamstring) and Watkins, a quartet that many would have projected to account for about two-thirds of the workforce’s regular-season depth chart on the place.
What’s extra, veteran Demarcus Robinson remains to be awaiting phrase from the league on a possible suspension after he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor DUI cost in early July. Shanahan mentioned Robinson is within the midst of an appeals course of earlier than any self-discipline is finalized, a sentiment Robinson echoed on Monday.
“[I’m] fairly anxious,” Robinson mentioned. “Simply ready on the end result to see what occurs with that. I actually do not know the timeframe. Ready to listen to from them, clearly. It is all as much as regardless of the league says. I am simply ready on no matter they are saying when the time comes.”
Jennings’ scenario affords an analogous quantity of uncertainty. He is coming into the ultimate season of the two-year extension he signed within the 2024 offseason and is scheduled to depend $4.258 million towards the wage cap with greater than $8 million in lifeless cash remaining in 2025 from lingering void years. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in mid-July that Jennings would love a profitable contract extension or, barring that, a commerce. Jennings reported to camp on time and took half within the first 4 practices of camp earlier than departing throughout the fourth one with a calf challenge.
It is the identical calf that Jennings struggled with in final 12 months’s coaching camp and through organized workforce actions in late spring. Up to now, Jennings has made no public commerce requests however there is no timeline for him to return to observe, both.
“It’s one thing that we do not suppose will likely be too severe,” Shanahan mentioned. “However it’s bothering him from time to time how a lot he misses; I at all times need guys on the market. It helps him, it helps the workforce. However Jauan was all proper final 12 months, too, lacking a while.”
Cowing, in the meantime, is anticipated to return to observe in some capability Tuesday after injuring his hamstring within the opening days of camp. Cowing went by a exercise Sunday with Shanahan saying he hit all the instances the workforce wished to see from him.
For now, Ricky Pearsall, the workforce’s high choose in 2024, is the one wideout projected within the workforce’s high six who’s wholesome sufficient to observe and anticipated to be out there for Week 1 if he can keep away from damage. Past Pearsall and Robinson, the Niners ran Tuesday’s observe with Isaiah Hodgins, Robbie Chosen, Terique Owens, Russell Gage Jr. and Junior Bergen as the one different receiver choices. All of which begs the query of whether or not the Niners might want to go to free company to search out one other veteran possibility or two.
“It’s a problem,” Shanahan mentioned. “There are potentialities later which are assured, however there’s a lot of issues which are tied to that. Who’s out there, how a lot they’re out there for and the scenario our workforce is in wage cap smart and what we are able to do. However yeah, we’re trying into every part. We’ll at all times attempt to do the most effective however attempt to not simply panic and do one thing to outlive a tricky scenario on the expense of what would actually damage you in a while this 12 months and positively subsequent 12 months.”
