Don’t expect Kittle to play
49ers will have new starter on offensive line
Kyle Shanahan liked what he saw in George Kittle’s “unbelievable” return to practice this week. One disclaimer: Kittle was merely on the scout team.
So don’t expect Kittle to suit up for Sunday’s visit to the Dallas Cowboys, seven weeks after sustaining a foot fracture in Seattle.
Shanahan said Kittle has “a chance” to play the San Francisco 49ers’ closing two games of the regular season, Dec. 26 at the Arizona Cardinals and Jan. 3 against the Seattle Seahawks, also at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., where the 49ers relocated because of Santa Clara
County’s COVID-19 regulations.
Shanahan said the 49ers are taking the same approach to Kittle’s comeback as from earlier this season, when he returned to practice in Week 3 from a knee sprain but did not
play until Week 4 against Philadelphia.
“He was fresh and looked good,” Shanahan said on KNBR 680-AM. “It’s all about what the doctors say. It’s how he feels this weekend, the soreness and stuff like that. That’s what your debate is, if there’s anything lingering and what the safety issues are of putting him out there.”
Also still on injured reserve is Jimmy Garoppolo, whose ankle injury from that same game Nov. 1 in Seattle has kept him off the practice field, and that might remain so if the 49ers (5-8) lose Sunday and are eliminated from playoff contention.
Nick Mullens will make his sixth straight at quarterback in place of Garoppolo.
General manager John Lynch indicated that stay
ing alive in the playoff race Sunday also would factor into whether they’re “inclined” to bring back Kittle and Garoppolo.
“George has a broken bone; it’s healed at a good rate. He’s coming along fairly well,” Lynch said Thursday on KNBR. “We feel fairly good and we’ll still have a decision to make.
“Jimmy, the problem or the alternative or the consequence if it goes bad, he might have to have some surgery and we just don’t want to go there if we don’t have to. Now, he has made tremendous prog
ress. There will be a decision there. This weekend will factor into that decision and at least have some part of it.”
SKULE AT GUARD » Justin Skule, who started eight games at left tackle as a rookie fill- in last year, is expected to make his first career start at right guard on Sunday. With Colton McKivitz on the NFL’s COVID-19 reserve list and Tom Compton on injured reserve (concussion), Skule is the last available player who has experience playing in this offense.
“He knows what to do,
looked good in practice and I feel good to go with him,” Shanahan said.
Skule briefly practiced at guard during training camp in August. He will be their fourth different starter at right guard this season, following McKivitz, Compton and Daniel Brunskill, who started the first eight games there before shifting to center. Brunskill is currently playing through a shoulder sprain.
Official status reports will be posted later today. Shanahan is to address reporters via video conference at about 12:45 p.m. PT.