Surging defense could be bolstered by returns
The 49ers’ resurgent defense should have reinforcements Sunday when San Francisco faces the Vikings’ seventhranked offense.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan was optimistic Wednesday that inside linebacker Dre Greenlaw (groin) and pass rusher
Dee Ford (back) would return from extended absences to play against Minnesota. Greenlaw, whose practice window was opened last week, has been sidelined since he underwent surgery after the season opener. Ford, who will return to practice Thursday, has missed the past four games due to a flareup of his ongoing back issues.
The 49ers monitored Ford’s snap count before he was placed on injured reserve. He averaged 17.7 snaps in six games, and he will likely receive similar playing time throughout the rest of the season. Ford, who is tied for second on the team with three sacks, missed the final 15 games last year because of a back injury.
“That’s never fully gone away,” Shanahan said Nov. 5 of Ford’s back problems. “That’s something he’ll deal with most likely forever. So something that’s on again, off again.”
The 49ers have allowed an average of 10 points and 239 yards during their two-game winning streak after allowing a season-high 437 yards in a 31-17 loss to Arizona on Nov. 7.
Mitchell returns: Rookie running back Elijah Mitchell practiced for the first time since he underwent surgery on his broken middle finger on his right hand on Nov. 16.
Mitchell, who was limited and wore a non-contact jersey, participated in individual drills during the early portion of practice open to the media. He primarily carried the ball with his left hand and did not participate when running backs caught screen passes. He did use both hands to catch a toss on a sweep.
Shanahan said Monday that Mitchell wasn’t close to playing in last Sunday’s win against the Jaguars after a pin was inserted to stabilize his finger.
In other injury news, left guard Laken Tomlinson (ankle) and cornerback Josh Norman (ribs) were limited. Running back JaMycal Hasty (ankle) did not practice.
HOF semifinalists: Linebacker Patrick Willis and defensive tackle Bryant Young were among four former 49ers who are among the 26 modern-era semifinalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2022.
Willis and Young were joined by running back Ricky Watters and wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who each spent three seasons with the 49ers. Boldin is in his first season of eligibility. Willis, Young and Watters are multitime semifinalists. Young was one of 15 modern-era finalists in 2020.
The list of semifinalists was reduced from a group of 123 nominees that was announced in September. The group of 15 finalists will be announced in January, and the Hall of Fame’s 49-person selection committee will select the class of 2022 on Feb. 9, the day before Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles. Player signed: The 49ers signed wide receiver Devin Funchess, 27, a 2015 secondround pick of the Panthers, to their practice squad.
Funchess had career highs in catches (63), yards (840) and touchdowns (8) in 2017, but he hasn’t played in a game since Sept. 8, 2019, when he suffered a broken collarbone. Funchess opted out of the 2020 season and he was released by the Packers on Aug. 27 when he was on injured reserve due to a hamstring injury.