Garoppolo returns to practice, Lance still out
SANTA CLARA >> While Jimmy Garoppolo practiced Monday for the first time since his Oct. 3 calf injury, fellow quarterback Trey Lance did not take the field alongside him. Lance was diagnosed with a left knee sprain from his Oct. 10 starting debut.
Garoppolo’s right calf looks unhindered and that puts him on target to reprise his starting role Sunday night when the 49ers (2-3) host the Indianapolis Colts (2-4).
“Seemed like Jimmy,” left tackle Trent Williams said. “He was fighting to get back last week. Seeing him this week, he seems like he’s been ready. If there was a game last week, he’d probably have been OK to play.
“So, yeah, Jimmy looks like Jimmy.”
Garoppolo warmed up alongside Nate Sudfeld, who will likely be elevated again from the practice squad to serve as the backup for a second straight game if Lance is inactive Sunday.
Lance was projected to miss one to two weeks because of the knee sprain that was diagnosed a day after the 49ers’ 17-10 loss at Arizona, in which the rookie had 16 carries. BUCKNER’S RETURN >> DeForest Buckner’s upcoming return to Levi’s Stadium is already stirring mixed emotions, and safety Jimmie Ward put into poignant perspective how Buckner’s March 2020 trade to Indianapolis impacted the 49ers overall.
“You know what DeFo brought to this team. He was the heart and soul when he was here,” safety Jimmie Ward said. “I wasn’t happy about it, but I understand the business side. I’m pretty sure you all knew something was going to happen, just like I did. Just didn’t know what was going to happen.”
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What happened was the 49ers opted not to pay Buckner, their top pick in 2016, and instead retained Arik Armstead, their No. 1 draft choice in 2015. The 49ers pocketed the Colts’ first-round draft pick (No. 13 overall) and Buckner landed a four-year, $84 million contract with $40 million guaranteed. Armstead’s extension was announced the same day, a fiveyear-, $85 million pact with $45 million guaranteed.
“It was bittersweet. We ended up getting (Javon) Kinlaw and we ended up getting Brandon Aiyuk,” Ward said of last year’s firstround draft picks.
“But we lost a leader — especially a leader in defense and on this team. He’s still my brother and I still love him.”
Ward commended coach Kyle Shanahan and general manager John Lynch for the strides they took to replace Buckner, from drafting Kinlaw to finding other defensive tackles such as D.J. Jones and Kevin Givens. Kinlaw has a knee issue that’s limited him all year, and he did not practice Monday.
Nickel back K’Waun Williams rejoined practice after being out with a calf injury since early in the Sept. 26 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Dontae Johnson and Deommodore Lenoir have filled in covering slot wide receivers since then.
Williams was not placed on injured reserve so he is eligible to return after missing two games. KENDRICKS’ COMEBACK >> Neither linebacker Dre Greenlaw (groin; injured reserve) nor Marcell Harris (thumb) practiced, and neither was Mychal Kendricks, who re-signed later in the day with the club after undergoing COVID testing.
Harris was expected to undergo surgery last week for a fractured right thumb, and that would help prompt the 49ers to re-sign Kendricks. Two months ago, Kendricks sustained a toe injury on the first snap of his 49ers debut, in a preseason win at the Los Angeles Chargers. RUNNING BACK OUTLOOK >> Elijah Mitchell looks set to make his Levi’s Stadium debut Sunday night as the starting running back. An “achy” shoulder injury kept him out of their previous home losses to Green Bay and Seattle, but he returned to action last game, albeit with just nine carries for 43 yards at Arizona.