49ers cornerback K’Waun Williams played through a somewhat rare ACL sprain on Sunday, but he won’t need surgery to correct the issue, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. If rehab goes well, Williams could be back in action in as little as three weeks. For now, he’ll be shelved on the injured reserve list.
[RELATED: Torn Biceps For 49ers’ Ziggy Ansah]
That’s relatively good news, though the Niners are already shorthanded due to a rash of injuries. Hopefully, Williams is able to make a quick recovery while also healing up from his previous hip issue. Fellow cornerback Richard Sherman might not be back for a little while either, putting more pressure on Jason Verrett and the rest of the group to keep a lid on things. Starter Emmanuel Moseley remains in concussion protocol and the Niners are waiting to see if Ahkello Witherspoon‘s hamstring will allow him to play this week.
Williams, 29, has started in 26 of his 47 games since joining the 49ers. Last year, he set a new personal watermark with two interceptions and also tallied his fourth career sack.
The Niners dropped to 2-2 on Sunday as the Eagles pulled ahead in the fourth quarter. This week, they’ll look to get over the .500 mark against the Dolphins, who are rolling with Ryan Fitzpatrick as their starter.