No word yet on 49ers’ QB situation
Team in wait-and-see mode on Garoppolo
SANTA CLARA >> And the 49ers starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins will be ... Determined later in the week. Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday he hopes Jimmy Garoppolo will practice Wednesday. The quarterback suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 2 and has been sidelined the past 2½ games.
“I’m still not sure about Jimmy. I don’t really know what we’ll do on Wednesday,” Shanahan said. “I’ll have a plan by then. But I haven’t talked it over with the coaches yet, so I’m not sure.”
Shanahan is also taking a waitand-see approach to Garoppolo’s backups, as to whether Nick Mullens would draw a third straight start or if C. J. Beathard might make his first since 2018 after Sunday night’s impressive closing act.
Mullens got pulled after committing his third turnover, that being an interception a Philadelphia Eagles linebacker returned for a touchdown. It came on the first snap after the Eagles took the lead on a touchdown drive ignited by a Mullens strip-sack fumble.
“Usually you kind of prepare for one, maybe two; but three — that’s different,” Dolphins safety Eric Rowe told Miami reporters. “Obviously all three of them, they’ve shown that all three of them can play. So it’s not like, ‘OK, the third string is coming in — we’re going to tee off on him.’
“I think when Beathard got in, he went like 7-for-7 and scored a touchdown on a drive, and I was like, ‘ Wow, this dude’s good, too.’ So again, him, Mullens, Jimmy — it don’t matter who’s playing. We’ve got to play our best ball.” ANSAH EXITS >> Defensive end Ziggy Ansah will undergo season- ending surgery to repair a
torn biceps this week and go on injured reserve. He got hurt in his second game since being signed after Nick Bosa’s season- ending knee injury.
Because of the NFL’s stricter rules for workouts amid COVID-19, Shanahan said it is unlikely the 49ers will rush in a free-agent replacement and will try to make due with who’s on the current roster. Arik Armstead, Kerry Hyder and Dion Jordan were the 49ers’ primary ends Sunday night, and Armstead has had limited chances to play inside, where he flourished last season with a career-high 10 sacks.
‘SHARK’ TO IR >> Nickel back K’Waun Williams is likely heading to short-term injured reserve as he requires a few weeks to recover from a knee sprain. His replacement, Jamar Taylor, produced a sack on his first snap Sunday night by executing a blitz called
“Shark,” which is Williams’ nickname. Williams has battled through calf and hip injuries the past two months without missing a game.
SHERMAN TBD >> Cornerback Richard Sherman (calf) is eligible to come off injured reserve this week af
ter being out three games, but Shanahan said he expected Sherman to need a four-week break and that a Wednesday return would be a pleasant surprise.
Emmanuel Moseley (concussion) and Ahkello Witherspoon (hamstring) could return Wednesday, too. Jason Verrett (hand) and Dontae Johnson (groin) played through injuries Sunday night, Shanahan said. MOSTERT UPDATE >> Shanahan is “not real optimistic” running back Raheem Mostert will return from a 2½ - game absence because of a knee injury but “has a chance” to practice Wednesday.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw (quadriceps) and wide receiver Dante Pettis (knee) might be OK to practice Wednesday, too.