Rookie guard may start
It’s only the second week of the season, but the 49ers already are down to starting their thirdstring right guard.
At least that’s the likely scenario for Sunday’s game against the visiting Lions after starter Mike Person (foot) and his backup, Joshua Garnett (toe), missed their second straight practice Thursday.
If they can’t play, head coach Kyle Shanahan said the 49ers will turn to Najee Toran , an undrafted rookie from UCLA who was elevated from the practice squad Monday.
“I’m expecting (Toran) to be our guy here Sunday unless we can have a miraculous recovery by some of the other guys,” Shanahan said on KNBR.
Toran, an honorable-mention All-Pac 12 choice in 2017, made 13 of his 24 college starts last year.
Meanwhile, inside linebacker Elijah Lee also is in line to make his first NFL start Sunday. On Thursday, a day after the 49ers placed inside linebacker Brock Coyle (back) on injured reserve, inside linebacker Malcolm Smith (hamstring) remained sidelined.
In addition, free safety Adrian Colbert (hamstring) missed his second straight practice, increasing the chances that cornerback Jimmie Ward could assume Colbert’s spot Sunday. Ward has played every spot in the secondary, with the exception of strong safety, and his versatility is why the 49ers picked up the $8.85 million fifth-year option on his contract.
The only other player to sit out practice was wide receiver Marquise Goodwin, who has a deep thigh bruise. Sherman’s assessment: In his first regular-season game since he tore his Achilles in November, cornerback Richard Sherman allowed just one 18-yard catch and was targeted with only two passes in Sunday’s season-opening loss at Minnesota.
Sherman termed his performance “solid.”
“The legs felt good,” Sherman said. “My cuts and breaks felt good.” Sherman even got some trash-talking out of the way. At one point, he excused wide receiver Laquon Treadwell from their animated conversation with a dismissive wave.
Asked if he could share what they were discussing, Sherman said, “Yeah, he needed to get back to the huddle. They were getting ready to call the play.” Record in sight: Kicker Robbie Gould can tie Phil Dawson’s franchise record for consecutive field-goal attempts converted made if he makes his next kick. Gould, 36, has made 26 straight kicks since his last miss, Oct. 29.
Since signing with the 49ers last year, Gould has made 42 of 44 field-goal tries, including 22 of 23 from 40-plus yards.
Gould, who ranks fifth in NFL history in field-goal percentage (87.0), credited long snapper Kyle Nelson and holder Bradley Pinion for his success with the 49ers.
“From Day 1, it just kind of clicked for all three of us: snap, hold, kick,” said Gould, who added: “I’m comfortable here. And it’s just fun to come to work every day.”