Kinlaw out for season; Garoppolo starts at QB
Bears won’t have sack leader Mack against 49ers
SANTA CLARA » Defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw’s season is over after knee surgery this week, and 49ers’ teammate Deebo Samuel offered advice Friday to his former college teammate.
“You know all the things you can do to contribute to the team, and to have it taken away, you get in dark hole a while,” Samuel said. “My advice is to stay up, communicate with people and don’t be so distant.”
Kinlaw, the 49ers’ top draft pick last year, required follow-up surgery in Los Angeles to fix a knee issue dating back to December 2020.
“Mentally I’m ready to go the distance. Just remember how you gave up on the kid,” Kinlaw wrote in an Instagram caption to unnamed skeptics.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Dr. Neal ElAttrache performed the surgery and relayed word that Kinlaw’s once-mysterious issue has been remedied for a 2022 comeback.
“There’s a lot of things that went into it and what they found,” Shanahan said. “The good news is they think they solved the problem. Obviously it hurts that he’s not being with us this year.”
Kinlaw formally will go on injured reserve Saturday, when fellow defensive tackle Kevin Givens (ankle) is expected to come off it and play in Sunday’s game at the Chicago Bears.
Kinlaw missed the 49ers’ season opener and their past game. He also has been in and out of practice since training camp. He also battled tendinitis dating back to his college days at South Carolina, when he teamed with Samuel.
Kinlaw’s surgery prompted Samuel to flash back to his own experience last offseason, when he required foot surgery and was haunted by his inability to fully prepare for the season. “It’s very difficult, and kind of a similar story to myself,” Samuel said of Kinlaw.
NO KHALIL MACK » Bears sack artist Khalil Mack won’t be chasing down the 49ers’ Jimmy Garoppolo — or Trey Lance — on Sunday.
Mack’s foot injury got him ruled out Friday, as anticipated.
In a bit of a surprise, 49ers left tackle Trent Williams practiced for the first time since aggravating an ankle injury Oct. 18, and he looks capable of protecting whatever Bears’ pass rushers try replacing Mack. Williams is officially listed as questionable.
Garoppolo will make his second straight start since returning from a calf injury, and, unlike last Sunday’s fourth straight loss, he will be backed up by Lance, who missed last game with a sprained knee.
“Any time Trey’s up, there’s a potential for a package in the game,” Shanahan said.
Mack has tallied six sacks to open his fourth season with the Bears, since his trade from the Raiders. The Bears’ nextmost sacks are the 5 ½ from Robert Quinn, who was activated off the COVID reserve list Friday.
“This has been one of the fastest starts he’s had in his career production-wise,” Nagy told Chicago reporters Friday. “We have to sometimes protect Khalil from himself and that’s kind of where we’re at right now.”
COVID ISSUES » The Bears (3-4) are coping with a slew of COVID issues, and it’s unknown if they’ll have available coach Matt Nagy, who remains on the COVID protocol list and has been away from the team all week aside from virtual meetings. Special teams coordinator Chris Tabor would fill in for Nagy.
Elijah Wilkinson also was activated off COVID reserve, but fellow offensive tackle Germain Ifedi was added to it.
The 49ers have not placed any player on COVID reserve the past three months, not since three players served stints at the start of training camp.
OTHER STATUS REPORTS » Safety Jaquiski Tartt (knee) is out, and his expected replacement is rookie Talanoa Hufanga, who said: “Chicago leads the league with most deep balls this year. We’re well aware of that and we have to make plays. If we come down with the ball, that’s what fans want to see.”