Injuries open door for 49ers’ Jackson
The San Francisco 49ers will likely be without 75% of their starting defensive line when they host the Chargers on Sunday night.
The silver lining: Their lone healthy starter on their four-man front is also their best, Pro Bowl pass rusher Nick Bosa.
It figures to be Bosa and the backups because defensive end Samson Ebukam is doubtful to play due to a quadriceps injury he suffered in practice Monday. Meanwhile, defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot, ankle) will miss his fifth straight game and defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (knee) remains on injured reserve.
Ebukam was sidelined for the final three practices of the week, but the 49ers didn’t officially scratch him partly because of his ironman history. Ebukam hasn’t missed a game in his six-season, 89-game career.
“That’s why I’m not ruling him out,” head coach Kyle Shanahan said. “Because he’s been like this
before where you think he’s not going to do it, but he does.”
If Ebukam’s streak ends, rookie pass rusher Drake Jackson will assume a larger role. Jackson, a second-round selection who was the 49ers’ top draft pick of 2022, has 10 tackles and three sacks while playing 175 snaps in eight games.
Shanahan offered a tepid review of Jackson’s first-half performance.
“I think he’s contributing to us,” Shanahan said. “I think he’s a very talented player who does help us out and I see much more room to grow. I think the more powerful he gets, the more physical he can get and grow into his body — there’s a lot more there.”
The 49ers are tied for third in the NFL in sacks per game (3.3), led by Bosa, whose 8.5 sacks are tied for second in the league. They will be charged with applying pass-rush pressure with an injury-depleted front against the Chargers, who have allowed an NFL-low 10 sacks.
Defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans said Pro Bowl quarterback Justin Herbert’s mobility and quick release were major factors for opponents’ inability to being him down.
“This guy’s one of the top quarterbacks in this league,” Ryans said. “You talk about the movement skills in the pocket and being able to make any throw on the field. I think that’s part of the reason why those guys don’t have to block for long, because he’s making smart decisions with the football.”
Shanahan has not offered a timetable for Armstead’s return. Kinlaw is eligible to come off IR before the 49ers meet the Cardinals in Mexico City on Nov. 21, but Shanahan said Kinlaw is unlikely to play then.
“All the flying and the altitude up there — I think things would have to go really well” for him to play, Shanahan said.
Tough practice: Shanahan offered to stop practice Wednesday after cornerback Jason Verrett suffered a torn Achilles and was carted off the field.
Verrett, 31, had a chance to make his season debut Sunday after spending 14 months rehabbing from a torn ACL he suffered in the 2021 season opener.
“They knew how long of a journey it was and how fast it ended,” Shanahan said. “And everyone stopped right away.”
The 49ers decided to finish practice. And linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair, 25, shared a message in a team huddle at its conclusion.
“He basically sounds like a preacher — he speaks much better than I do,” Shanahan said. “He’s wise. He’s like the nicest guy on our team and the least nice on the football field, so he balances it out.”
Quartet coming: Shanahan confirmed that four players on injured reserve would be moved to the 53-man roster Saturday and would be available to play against the Chargers: Al-Shaair, running back Elijah Mitchell, offensive tackle Colton McKivitz and defensive end Jordan Willis.
The 49ers had three open roster spots. A fourth opening will be created when Verrett is placed on injured reserve.