Garoppolo injury not as bad as first feared
Good news on Williams too, but Gould will likely miss 3-to-5 weeks
SANTA CLARA » Trey Lance’s marching orders are to prepare for first career start.
It just may not actually come Sunday, when the 49ers (2-2) visit the undefeated Arizona Cardinals (4-0).
Jimmy Garoppolo’s calf contusion ultimately could decide which way the 49ers go, either with him reprising his starting role or bequeathing it to Lance, the 49ers’ first-round draft pick.
“It does mean (Garoppolo) has a chance. It wasn’t as bad as what we thought it might have been,” coach Kyle Shanahan said of Garoppolo’s injury Monday on a media conference call. “Today he’s in a lot of pain and still sore. Hopefully by the time he comes in Wednesday and it’s better, then he’ll have a good chance.
“If it hasn’t improved by Wednesday, it’ll probably be a little longer.”
Garoppolo didn’t return after halftime of Sunday’s 28-21 home loss to the Seattle Seahawks, and that thrust Lance into his first extensive action as a pro, with mixed results.
Lance, like any backup quarterback, approaches each week as if he might be the starter, “but this is the first week going into it he’s legitimitaly got a chance to on the first play,” Shanahan said. “So he’s got to approach it that way, learn from the stuff he did (Sunday) and come in ready to go on Wednesday.”
Although kicker Robbie Gould will likely be out three to five weeks from his pregame groin
injury, the 49ers’ dodged long-term injury concerns not only with Garoppolo but also with left tackle Trent Williams, whose shoulder injury is not serious.
“That was some of the best news we got considering how we were worried initially,” Shanahan said. “There is some fluid in there and are issues with it, but hopefully he can recover before Sunday.
“Trent’s is a little better news than Jimmy,” Shanahan added. “With Jimmy, we have to see how it reacts here in the next two days. Both of them were definitely better news today than the feeling we had last night.”
Garoppolo feared he could be out a couple weeks, but an MRI exam revealed a calf bruise rather than a strain.
Playing without Garoppolo hasn’t been kind to the 49ers since 2017. With him starting, they’re 2410 and scoring 28 points per game; without him, they’re 7-27 and averaging 20 points per game.
Garoppolo said Sunday he got injured during the first-series touchdown drive, and the only apparent time his right leg made contact was with former 49ers pass rusher Kerry Hyder Jr., who got past Williams and ran into Garoppolo’s backside on a third-snap completion to George Kittle.
LANCE’S TEACHING POINTS » Once Garoppolo exited, Lance completed 9-of-18 passes, but just 2-of-7 prior to the final touchdown drive. His most impressive passes: fourth-down conversions to Deebo Samuel and Mohamed Sanu, as well as the touchdown tosses to Samuel, plus a near touchdown by George Kittle, who remains scoreless this season.
How did Monday’s film session go? Well, it wasn’t just about that but also debriefing with Shanahan about the overall aspect of being in for 39 plays, after getting a glimpse of NFL football with just seven snaps prior to Sunday.
“You always picture your first NFL game, I know he’s gotten to go in there for some plays, but not really to do every single play like that, getting in and out of the huddle with guys,” Shanahan said. “I think he enjoyed the moment. He did a good job making some plays, especially when they weren’t there, with his feet. A couple of passes he’d like to have back.”
Lance’s first completion Sunday was Samuel’s 76yard touchdown, and considering his only previous attempt was a touchdown to Trent Sherfield in Week 1, Lance became the first quarterback in at least 40 years to throw touchdowns on his first two career completions.
Lance also ran for 41 yards on seven carries, the last of which was a 13yard, fourth-down scramble to the 8-yard line that set up Samuel’s second touchdown on the next play.
WILLIAMS’ STATUS » Williams appeared to injure his right shoulder trying to block Raheem Green midway through the fourth quarter, not long after Williams was carted to and from the locker room to treat cramps.
Shanahan said rookie Jaylon Moore “did a good job” in place of Williams, but there’s a reason Williams commanded the richest contract ever for a NFL offensive lineman this past offseason to re-sign with the 49ers (six years, $138.06 million). The 11thyear veteran has played every game in a season just twice (2012, ‘13).
Williams will be evaluated “day to day,” along with tight end George Kittle (calf soreness) and defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (knee).
DEEBO LEADS NFL » Deebo Samuel, the NFL’s receiving yards leader through Week 2, has reclaimed that spot. His 156 yards Sunday raised his season total to 490 yards, which already eclipses his injuryshortened 2020 total of 391 yards (seven games).
Jerry Rice holds the 49ers’ single-season record (1,848 yards; 1995), and that ranks third in NFL history behind Detroit’s Calvin Johnson (1,964; 2012) and Atlanta’s Julio Jones (1,871; 2015).
GOULD TO IR? » Kickers are expected to audition Wednesday for the temp job in place of Gould, who could be headed to shortterm injured reserve because of groin injury that requires three to five weeks recovery, Shanahan said. “We’re going to see how it reacts this week,” Shanahan said. The 49ers’ bye follows their game at Arizona, buying Gould an extra week to recover.
MITCHELL ON MEND » Running back Elijah Mitchell (shoulder) is expected to shed the no-contact jersey he wore last week and report Wednesday for full clearance at practice. He’s missed the past two games.
“That’d be huge to get him back and hopefully he’ll be feeling better this week,” said Shanahan, adding that Trey Sermon “took a step in the right direction” with Sunday’s improved rushing attack against Seattle “but I still know there’s another level for him.”