Christian McCaffrey Out For Week 2; 49ers Considering IR
SEPTEMBER 13: Shanahan said on Friday McCaffrey will not play in Week 2 after he was off the practice field altogether today. He said Thursday’s practice led to pain in the affected calf and Achilles area, so McCaffrey will be out for at least another game.
Concerningly, Shanahan added (via The Athletic’s Matt Barrows) San Francisco is, in fact, now considering injured reserve in this situation. Moving last year’s rushing champion to IR would sideline him until at least Week 6, though it would give him a longer period to heal in full. Mason will be in line for RB1 duties on Sunday at a minimum, but that could be the case for much longer.
SEPTEMBER 11: Christian McCaffrey missed the 49ers’ Week 1 win over the Jets thanks to his pesky Achilles/calf issues. Coach Kyle Shanahan has since specified that a bout of Achilles tendinitis has been the main contributor to the running back’s inconsistent status. Fortunately, it doesn’t sound like McCaffrey will be sidelined for much longer, as Shanahan told reporters that the star player isn’t a candidate for injured reserve (via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).
[RELATED: 49ers RB Christian McCaffrey Inactive For Week 1]
While McCaffrey was listed as limited during today’s practice (per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero), the player is confident that he’ll be on the field for Week 2.
“My mentality is I’m playing this week,” McCaffrey said (via ESPN’s Nick Wagoner). “That’s where I’m at. That’s how I am every week. I’m not lying. I think as soon as a player says, ‘maybe I’ll play, maybe I won’t,’ that’s not a good mentality to go into a week with when you’re kind of on the fence. For me, I’m ready to go.”
The player’s Week 1 absence inspired some controversy when fill-in Jordan Mason revealed that he learned of his RB1 role on Friday…days before the team announced McCaffrey’s inactive status. McCaffrey said there wasn’t any gamesmanship at play with the late call, as the RB said he hoped he could push through the injury until the last possible moment. McCaffrey said his pre-game workout didn’t go as he hoped, leading to the final decision (via Wagoner).
Mason filled in admirably for his All-Pro teammates, rushing for 147 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries. Mason’s performance may ultimately convince the 49ers to sit McCaffrey for another week, per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, although the reporter also believes the starter will do everything in his power to play.
Injury Notes: Bears, Walker, Murray, Bosa
The Bears got good news surrounding the knee injury that knocked Rome Odunze out of Sunday’s season opener. Per Bleacher Report’s Jordan Schultz, the rookie wide receiver suffered a Grade 1 knee sprain, the “best-case scenario” for the team and player.
Odunze suffered his MCL injury while blocking for Velus Jones Jr. during a fourth-quarter screen pass. The rookie stayed in the game for one additional play before exiting for good. The wideout is officially considered week-to-week, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, and there’s been no indication that the ninth-overall pick will have a stay on injured reserve. Coach Matt Eberflus said the Bears were “lucky” to avoid a serious injury, and he even kept the door open to Odunze playing in Week 2.
Wednesday’s injury report also showed that fellow receiver Keenan Allen didn’t practice while nursing a heel injury. Eberflus later clarified that the wideout was considered day-to-day, and there’s hope the offseason acquisition can hit the practice field on Thursday and Friday following his day off.
In the unlikely event that both Odunze and Allen are sidelined, the Bears’ deep wide receiver grouping will be down to just D.J. Moore. Rookie QB Caleb Williams is certainly hoping for his full arsenal of wideouts following an NFL debut where he completed only 14 of 29 pass attempts for 93 yards.
More injury notes from around the NFL…
- Kenneth Walker left Sunday’s game with an oblique injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday, per the Seahawks‘ injury report. Mike Macdonald said the running back is day-to-day (via ESPN’s Brady Henderson), but another missed practice would obviously put the player’s Week 2 availability in doubt. Walker exited the season opener after compiling 103 rushing yards and one touchdown. Zach Charbonnet finished the game at running back, scoring a 30-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
- Kyler Murray was a full participant at today’s practice, but the Cardinals QB still showed up on the injury report with a knee injury. Murray, of course, suffered an ACL injury during the 2022 campaign, and 2024 represented his first healthy offseason in a few years. Murray didn’t miss a snap on Sunday, and it seemed like his knee was in good shape after he ran for 57 yards. Clayton Tune is the only other QB currently on the active roster.
- The Chargers announced that Joey Bosa was a limited participant at Wednesday’s practice while dealing with a back injury. The pass rusher appeared in 60 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in Week 1, collecting a sack and a forced fumble along the way. The long-time Charger has been snake bitten by injuries over the past few years, missing 20 total games.
- NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport passes along a list of other notable players who didn’t practice on Wednesday, including Bengals receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring), Chiefs receiver Marquise Brown (shoulder), Browns tight end David Njoku (ankle), Packers quarterback Jordan Love (MCL), and Saints cornerback Marshon Lattimore (hip/hamstring).
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/11/24
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: OT Charlie Heck
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: TE Feleipe Franks
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Kaden Davis
Detroit Lions
- Signed: DL Chris Smith
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: S Ronnie Harrison Jr., CB Kelvin Joseph
- Released: DE Titus Leo
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Dicaprio Bootle
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: CB Shemar Jean-Charles
New York Jets
- Signed: LB Jackson Sirmon
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: S Caden Sterns
- Released: TE Jack Stoll
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: OL Chris Hubbard
- Released: DE Jonathan Garvin
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Kyron Johnson
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/11/24
Today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed to active roster: OLB Julian Okwara
Detroit Lions
- Signed to active roster: DL Kyle Peko
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: DL James Lynch
A former third-round pick by the Lions, Julian Okwara ultimately spent four seasons in Detroit. The linebacker saw time in 38 games (four starts) during his Lions tenure, compiling 54 tackles and nine sacks. This included a five-sack performance in 2021, although he struggled to match those counting stats over the past two years. The 26-year-old spent the preseason with the Eagles before joining Arizona’s practice squad prior to the regular season.
49ers, CB Deommodore Lenoir Have Talked Extension
Mentioned previously as an extension candidate, it sounds like Deommodore Lenoir has indeed talked about a long-term pact with the 49ers. Per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, the organization has “discussed an extension” with their young defensive back.
[RELATED: Deommodore Lenoir On 49ers’ Extension Radar]
We heard this summer that the 49ers front office was potentially looking to extend the former fifth-round pick, but this latest update sounds a bit more definitive. Ee haven’t heard any recent updates on a long-term pact for Charvarius Ward, who was also mentioned as an extension candidate around the same time. Lenoir is set to hit free agency following the 2024 campaign.
Lenoir was selected by the 49ers in the fifth round of the 2021 draft. It didn’t take long for the Oregon product to establish himself as a foundational piece on San Francisco’s defense. The defensive back started 13 of his 17 appearances as a sophomore, and he started all 17 games in 2023. The 49ers have been creative with their usage of the defensive back over the past few years, using him as an outside CB and in the slot.
Lenoir ultimately got into 90 percent of his team’s defensive snaps in 2023, finishing with 84 tackles, three interceptions, and 10 passes defended. Pro Football Focus ended up grading him 23rd among 127 qualifying cornerbacks.
The 49ers have been connected to cornerback reinforcement in recent years, including Patrick Surtain and Nate Hobbs at last year’s trade deadline. They added Isaac Yiadom this offseason as a replacement for Isaiah Oliver, but the team is still plenty reliant on Lenoir. The cornerback’s extension probably won’t break the bank, but the team will still have to commit a chunk of change to maintain some continuity on their depth chart.
Jets Sign C Connor McGovern To Practice Squad
Connor McGovern is back in New York. The Jets have added their former starting center to the practice squad, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post. To make room, the team released running back Xazavian Valladay from the p-squad.
The former Broncos fifth-round pick caught on with the Jets in 2020 and proceeded to spend four years with the organization. He started all 55 of his appearances with the Jets, including 2021 and 2022 campaigns where Pro Football Focus graded him as one of the better players at his position.
The veteran re-signed with the Jets last offseason and started the team’s first seven games. However, he suffered a dislocated kneecap in October that ended his season prematurely.
With 2023 second-round pick Joe Tippmann establishing himself as the team’s long-term answer at center, McGovern wasn’t re-signed this offseason. The team has already reversed course, as Wes Schweitzer‘s hand injury opened a spot on the depth chart. The team is currently rolling without a backup center, so it shouldn’t take long for McGovern to earn a promotion to the active roster.
Valladay went undrafted during last year’s draft and had stints with the Texans and Steelers before landing in New York. He spent the majority of his rookie season on New York’s practice squad, and he was destined for a similar role in 2024. Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, Valladay could eventually find himself back on the Jets taxi squad, but the team needed the temporary spot for their veteran lineman acquisition.
Extra Points: Hill, Watson, Prescott
Following Tyreek Hill‘s detainment before yesterday’ game, Andy Slater of Fox Sports 640 South Florida released the bodycam footage from Miami-Dade Police. The release of the video follows a statement by the Miami-Dade Police earlier today in which they said that Hill was not immediately cooperative with officers (per Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com).
The video shows that Hill was initially pulled over for speeding while approaching Hard Rock Stadium. After the Dolphins wide receiver was pulled over, he was asked to keep his window down. As ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques and Xuan Thai detail, the “incident escalated when Hill didn’t comply.”
After exiting his vehicle, Hill was grabbed “by the back of the head and neck area” and forced to the pavement before being placed in handcuffs. After being walked to the sidewalk, Hill was forced to the ground again after not immediately complying to an officer’s demand to sit down, with the wideout citing recent knee surgery.
The footage also shows the police tensely interacting with tight end Jonnu Smith, who parked about 25 feet away from Hill. Smith “was ultimately given a citation.” Defensive lineman Calais Campbell can also be seen in the footage approaching police with his arms raised.
Following the release of the footage, the Miami Dolphins released a statement. While the organization lauded the release of the video and acknowledged their relationship with the Miami-Dade Police, they also requested “swift and strong action against the officers who engaged in such despicable behavior.” Per Armando Salguero of Outkick.com, the officer at the center of the video “was placed on administrative duties” and has hired a lawyer.
More notes from around the NFL…
- Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing a new civil lawsuit claiming him of sexual assault and battery during an incident in October 2020, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. Watson “sexually assaulted the woman for several minutes” before storming out of her apartment. Watson was previously accused of sexual assault and inappropriate conduct by more than two dozen women. He avoided criminal charges but was served an 11-game suspension after the league and the NFL Players Association reached a settlement. Watson settled 23 of his 24 civil lawsuits, and this latest suit joins the one remaining civil suit from 2022. An NFL spokesperson declined comment when asked about the matter, per Jonathan Jones of NFL on CBS.
- Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com has the details on Dak Prescott‘s new contract with the Cowboys. The four-year, $240MM extension features an $80MM signing bonus and $129MM guaranteed at signing. The quarterback will have another $40MM guaranteed next March, and another $45MM will be guaranteed the following March. The deal also includes a no-trade clause, a no-franchise tag clause, and a no-transition tag clause.
- The NFL sent a memo to more than 20 players and their respective teams before Week 1, warning the players that they could face suspensions if they violated the safety and sportsmanship policies. While the players’ identities weren’t revealed, ESPN’s Adam Schefter notes that the individuals “have been penalized and scrutinized in the past,” with all of the players having been suspended over the past two years for on-the-field incidents.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/9/24
Tonight’s practice squad moves:
Houston Texans
- Signed: G Arlington Hambright
- Released: TE Cole Fotheringham
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: CB Nehemiah Shelton
- Released: CB Matt Hankins
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Curtis Bolton
- Placed on IR: LB Carter Coughlin
Minor NFL Transactions: 9/9/24
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: TE Feleipe Franks
Detroit Lions
- Waived: DL Chris Smith
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Ihmir Smith-Marsette
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: LB Sam Eguavoen, OL Jake Hanson
- Promoted: TE Anthony Firkser, DL Jalyn Holmes
- Placed on IR: LB Zaire Barnes
San Francisco 49ers
- Activated: OT Trent Williams
- Promoted: DE Sam Okuayinonu, DB Tracy Walker III
- Released: OT Brandon Parker
49ers RB Christian McCaffrey Inactive For Week 1
Christian McCaffrey won’t be active for tonight’s showdown with the Jets. The team has announced that the star running back is inactive with his Achilles/calf issues. Cam Inman of the Bay Area News Group was first to report the news.
McCaffrey was listed as questionable heading into the contest after being limited in practice with his leg issue. NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo notes that the running back was optimistic that he’d be on the field for Monday Night Football, but McCaffrey tested his calf earlier today and determined that it “didn’t feel right.” Both the player and the team opted to take things slow with the hope that the running back will soon recover.
Injuries were a theme during McCaffrey’s final seasons in Carolina, but the running back has stayed relatively healthy over the past year-plus. The veteran has been active for all but one of the 49ers’ 34 games (including playoffs) since he joined the organization.
With McCaffrey out of the lineup, the 49ers will likely turn to Jordan Mason as their starting RB against the Jets. The former UDFA earned the RB2 role after Elijah Mitchell landed on IR, and Mason will now be in line for his first NFL start. The Georgia Tech product has appeared in 33 games with the 49ers over the past two seasons, collecting 495 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns.
Mason’s promotion to RB1 will also impact the rest of the depth chart. Patrick Taylor Jr. and fourth-round rookie Isaac Guerendo will be competing for any leftover RB snaps tonight. Guerendo is also expected to return kicks for the 49ers, per Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Deebo Samuel could also get some looks in the running game after averaging 46 rushing attempts per season between 2021 and 2023.