A rebuilding 49ers season will end with another starter unavailable for Week 17 action after the team sent linebacker Michael Wilhoite to injured reserve, Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports.
San Francisco’s corresponding move comes in the form of backup running back Mike Davis being activated from IR-DTR.
Despite being an undrafted free agent from Division II Washburn, Wilhoite’s started 28 games for the 49ers the past two seasons.
The 29-year-old inside linebacker’s 2015 season, however, has been an uphill struggle, per Pro Football Focus. The advanced-metrics site rates Wilhoite as the league’s worst linebacker.
Davis played in five games this year, the most recent coming in Week 8 against the Rams. Prior to suffering a broken hand, the fourth-round rookie didn’t make much progress, gaining 24 yards on 25 carries as a backup. Per Barrows, Davis runs the risk of becoming the first running back since ex-Chiefs committee cog Donnell Bennett, who gained 24 yards on 27 totes in 2000, to average fewer than one yard per carry.