Deebo Samuel absent, Trey Lance returns

The 49ers just can’t seem to get their injury situation under control. While the major injuries haven’t flooded in the way they did last year, they can’t get all of their available stars all healthy at once.

Perhaps as Week 8 progresses things will get better for San Francisco, but Wednesday’s practice report didn’t paint a great picture early in the week:

Did not participate

(AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn)

LB Azeez Al-Shaair (concussion)
DL Dee Ford (concussion)
DL Maurice Hurst (calf)
DT Javon Kinlaw (knee)
C Alex Mack (not injury related – resting player)
WR Deebo Samuel (calf)
S Jaquiski Tartt (knee)
T Trent Williams (ankle, elbow)

There aren’t any real surprises on this group save for Samuel who didn’t appear to have any injury problems coming out of Sunday night’s game. Head coach Kyle Shanahan is optimistic about the team’s leading receiver returning for the game in Chicago, but an early absence isn’t a good start. Hurst and Kinlaw could both be dealing with significant injuries, and Tartt is set to miss a few weeks because of a knee bruise. Williams remains day-to-day thanks to an ankle sprain. If neither Ford nor Al-Shaair clear concussion protocol the 49ers could find themselves dangerously thin in the front seven Sunday.

Limited participation

(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

LB Marcell Harris (thumb)
QB Trey Lance (knee)

Speaking of good news, Lance returned to practice as he gets back in the swing of things after missing two weeks with a knee sprain. His limited action Wednesday doesn’t mean he’s a lock to return to his role as Jimmy Garoppolo’s backup, but it’s at least good he’s on the field and getting reps. Missed time for a rookie in need of experience and development like Lance is especially damaging.

Not listed

(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Garoppolo missed Week 5 with a calf injury and was limited in practice leading up to Week 7. Whatever the extent of his injury is was enough to leave Shanahan immediately after Sunday night non-committal about Garoppolo starting in Chicago. The veteran signal caller is healthy though and his absence from the practice report is a good indicator his calf won’t be a problem moving forward.

1

1