Benjamin’s speed offers offense no help

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Kyle Shanahan felt the need for more speed Sunday, but fleet wide receiver Travis Benjamin didn’t provide the 49ers’ offense with a downfield jolt in a 17-10 loss to the Cardinals.

Benjamin, 31, who opted out of the 2020 season and was promoted from the practice squad Saturday, made his 49ers’ debut while playing in his first game since Oct. 13, 2019, when he was with the Chargers. Benjamin, who was targeted with three passes, did not have a catch and committed a holding penalty. He was open between a group of defenders on the 49ers’ first drive, but quarterback Trey Lance’s pass sailed high and was intercepted by safety Budda Baker.

Benjamin has averaged 15.1 yards on 208 career receptions, ranking seventh among active players. Shanahan said Benjamin’s promotion didn’t occur because Lance, who has a stronger arm than does Jimmy Garoppolo, was making his first start.

“He is doing a real good job in practice,” Shanahan said. “I thought it was important for us to get a little bit more speed out there, and that’s what Travis majors in.”

With Benjamin playing, wide receiver Jauan Jennings was a healthy scratch after he had three catches for 31 yards and a touchdown while playing 23 snaps in the first four games.

“It’s awesome having that speed out there,” Lance said. “He threatens the defense in a different way.”

Flag day: The 49ers, who were flagged for four offensive-holding penalties in their first four games, were called for four holding penalties in an eight-minute span of the third quarter.

They finished with five holding penalties, all in the second half, and the total included one play in which right tackle Mike McGlinchey and left tackle Trent Wiliams were both called for holding (McGlinchey’s was accepted). The culprits: McGlinchey had two and Williams, Benjamin and tight end Ross Dwelley had one apiece.

Shanahan was asked whether some of the flags were a result of Lance scrambling outside the pocket.

“I think one of them was,” Shanahan said. “I think what’s always tough for the guys when they’re expecting a guy in the pocket and he breaks out of the pocket. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the guys right away because you don’t know where he is. … We had way too many. It’s tough to win when you have all those.”

Kittle’s injury: The 49ers placed George Kittle on injured reserve Saturday with a calf injury that had prevented the All-Pro tight end from participating in a full practice for the past two weeks.

Kittle, who was questionable and practiced once, on a limited basis, before a 28-21 loss to the Seahawks on Oct. 3, still played 70 of 76 snaps against Seattle. Shanahan was asked what prompted the decision to place Kittle on IR.

“It just got a lot worse,” Shanahan said. “There wasn’t an exact diagnosis on it, so we were expecting it to heal. Some of the results that the guys had told us, in the last couple of days, it had gotten so much worse that we started to look at it a different way. That’s why we had to shut him down.”

The 49ers expect Kittle to be able to return when he’s eligible to come off the IR when they host Arizona on Nov. 7.