Injured players need more recovery time
Help isn’t on the way. At least not anytime soon from three players who suffered seasonending knee injuries last season.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan said 49ers center Weston Richburg, defensive end Ronald Blair and defensive tackle Jullian Taylor won’t come off the physically unable to perform list and be available to play until around Weeks 1012 of the season. The 49ers play their Week 10 game on Nov. 15 at New Orleans.
The players are eligible to return to practice next week and play against the Patriots on Oct. 25.
Early in training camp, the 49ers thought Blair, who tore his ACL in November, could be available for the season opener. However, Shanahan said Blair suffered a setback in his recovery.
The 49ers are in desperate need of pass rushers with defensive end Nick Bosa ( knee) out for the season and Dee Ford ( back) out indefinitely. Last month, they signed defensive end Ziggy Ansah, but he tore his biceps Oct. 4 and is out for the season.
Blair “had to redo some things with his knee, so some stuff that they messed up in it, and he is doing a lot better from that,” Shanahan said. “But that’s why he’s going to be a couple of weeks longer than expected.”
Blair, their top backup pass rusher last season, had eight sacks and 17 quarterback hits in his past 25 games. Sherman update: Shanahan said the 49ers are in waitandsee mode regarding the return of Richard Sherman ( calf). The cornerback recently had injections to reduce inflammation.
Shanahan indicated Sherman might not return to practice next week.
“You let the injections do their course and you see how it is,” Shanahan said. “Whether it’s next week or the week after.”
The 49ers originally expected Sherman to miss no more than four games. He will miss his fifth game Sunday when they host the Rams. Alexander optimism: The 49ers did receive some good injury news: It’s possible inside linebacker Kwon Alexander will miss no more than two games because of a high ankle sprain he suffered in Sunday’s loss toMiami.
The 49ers don’t plan to place Alexander on injured reserve, which would sideline him for a minimum of three games.
“I never like to say ‘ minor high ankle sprain’ because high ankle sprains are always a big issue, but it wasn’t your typical one where they for sure go on IR,” Shanahan said. “So that’s why we haven’t put him on that yet and we’re hoping to keep him off.”
More injury updates: Cornerbacks Jason Verrett and Emmanuel Moseley are expected to start Sunday, although Moseley is officially questionable because he has to clear the final step in the concussion protocol.
Verrett has supplanted Ahkello Witherspoon on the depth chart after making three straight strong fillin starts. Witherspoon was not listed on the injury report this week after he told coaches he could be used only in an emergency role against the Dolphins last Sunday because of a hamstring injury.
In other injury news, cornerback Dontae Johnson ( groin) won’t play against the Rams. Running back Jeff Wilson ( calf) and safety Marcell Harris ( ankle) are questionable.