Shanahan frustrated for Ward, not with ailing DB
Injury-prone former first-round draft pick is out with strained quadriceps
SANTA CLARA >> Each Jimmie Ward injury seems to trigger angrier and angrier reactions from fed-up 49ers fans. But not coach Kyle Shanahan.
A day after Ward strained a quadriceps in Saturday’s first quarter at the Indianapolis Colts, he received a vote of confidence and a dose of sympathy from Shanahan, who’s otherwise cast aside all but 12 players from the roster he inherited last year.
“No, I wouldn’t say ‘frustration’ because then it would be negative toward Jimmy. It’s just unfortunate,” Shanahan said Sunday on a media conference call. “Jimmie works real hard and I love Jimmie as a player, and he’s very tough. He has gotten hurt a lot but I don’t question any of those.”
Ward’s roster spot is not assured, but it’s unlikely he’ll be cut considering he is guaranteed $8.5 million this season thanks to a fifth-year option the 49ers exercised a year ago.
This latest injury isn’t expected to impact Ward’s availability for the Sept. 9 opener at Minnesota but he will not play in Thursday’s exhibition finale at home against the Chargers. He got hurt on punt coverage Saturday without playing a defensive snap, having ceded the starting job back for Richard Sherman’s debut.
“Jimmy throws his body around, he works very hard and he’s just been very unfortunate,” Shanahan added. “I feel for him because he’s as frustrated with it as anyone.”
Ward was the 49ers’ 2014 first-round draft pick under general manager Trent Baalke and coach Jim Harbaugh. Injuries have pockmarked his career, including quadriceps injuries in 2014 and 2016 and seasonending fractures to his foot in 2014, collar bone in ‘16 and forearm last season.
A hamstring injury forced him to miss all of last year’s training camp and delayed his arrival at free safety, where he moved from cornerback and nickel back. This year, the 49ers returned him to cornerback, only to see an ankle sprain sideline him in organized team activities and a hamstring issue keep him out a week at training camp this month.
“Hopefully this quad thing won’t be too long,” Shanahan said. “We need him to help us out a lot this year, just like he did last year when he was healthy and before that when he was healthy. He’s had a tough run of luck and hopefully that will start to get better for him.”
Ward has had a dismal exhibition season. He gave up a touchdown pass on the opening series against the Dallas Cowboys, and he got kicked out of an Aug. 22 joint practice at the Houston Texans facility after getting in a fight on the first snap.
Here are other developments from Sunday:
• Wide receiver Aaron Burbridge’s roster hopes are in jeopardy after sustaining a hamstring injury that’s severe enough to keep him of Thursday’s exhibition. Burbridge spent all of last season on injured reserve because of a hamstring tear.
• Rookie wide receiver
Dante Pettis won’t play Thursday because of a bruised knee and will rest this week, Shanahan said. Pettis had four catches for 93 yards in exhibition action, including just an 8-yard catch Saturday on 15 snaps.
• Marquise Goodwin returned to Saturday’s game with a bruised hand after an X-ray revealed he did not fracture it, said Shanahan, noting the wide receiver should be able to practice Tuesday.
• Linebacker Reuben Foster is not expected to return until Week 3 after his two-game suspension, assuming he clears the league’s concussion protocol, which is also where offensive tackle Garry Gilliam has yet to gain clearance after his concussion in the exhibition opener.
• Right guard Joshua Garnett received a glowing review for his second straight week as he’s rallied from a knee contusion. “He’s moving better, getting more comfortable,” Shanahan said. “His assignments were much better and I was
real pleased with how he played in the game.”
• Linebacker Malcolm Smith started Saturday and played only 10 snaps in his first action since the exhibition opener, which he left after six snaps because of a hamstring injury. “It was also his first week back after a hamstring and we didn’t want him out there too much,” Shanahan said. “We wanted Fred (Warner) to play a little longer with the (starters), and we wanted Reuben in there since his days are numbered until he’s gone for his suspension.”
Smith said after Saturday’s game his hamstring felt “cool,” and he admitted he felt frustrated and guilty about all his sick leave. Last summer’s pectoral tear sidelined him all season, “You feel guilty, you feel, ‘What more could you have done, you’re letting people down,’ “Smith said. “All those things go through your head. But at the end of the day they’re not helpful so you focus on what helps you move forward.”