Brian Robinson

49ers ‘Aren’t Overly Concerned’ With RB Christian McCaffrey’s Calf Issue; McCaffrey Will Start In Week 1

SEPTEMBER 7: McCaffrey will start in the Niners’ regular season opener, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter. A source told Schefter that CMC is “good to go.”

SEPTEMBER 6: When star running back Christian McCaffrey‘s name appeared rather suddenly on the 49ers’ injury report Thursday, a lot of fans (and fantasy owners) likely experienced some PTSD remembering McCaffrey’s 2024 campaign. For whatever it’s worth to those people, “the 49ers aren’t overly concerned” about his status this year, according to Dianna Russini of The Athletic.

Following a season in which McCaffrey delivered a first-team All-Pro season and won Offensive Player of the Year, McCaffrey was a surprising scratch for the team’s Week 1 matchup after being limited in practice the week before with a leg issue. He had remained optimistic throughout the week about his ability to play, but when he tested his calf the day of the game, it “didn’t feel right” and the team and player opted to let him rest.

When he still couldn’t go in Week 2, the 49ers opted for an injured reserve stint. A headline-grabbing trip to Germany hinted just how bad things might be, and after returning for a four-game stretch, McCaffrey was shut down again in Week 14, this time for the remainder of the season.

The year, the offseason buzz has been all about how McCaffrey had moved past the injuries and had no physical limitations in offseason workouts. In addition to the prior offseason’s promise to reduce his regular season workload — a promise perhaps made on a monkey’s paw — the team was dedicated to reducing his offseason workload this year, as well.

Then, on Thursday, McCaffrey removed himself from practice after “tweaking his calf,” per Vic Tafur and Matt Barrows, also of The Athletic. McCaffrey asserted that the decision was precautionary in nature and not indicative of his availability, saying, “I feel great about where I’m at. Unfortunately, when you have an injury history like I have, sometimes when you don’t practice, things get, uh, blown out of proportion. But, like I said, I feel great.”

The optimism mirrors similar sentiments displayed a year ago, but Tafur and Barrows point out some differences. They say that last year, McCaffrey was frequently bothered by flare-ups of Achilles tendonitis in both legs, requiring sporadic practice appearances throughout the summer. This year, aside from the occasional veteran rest day, McCaffrey hadn’t needed to limit himself at all until Thursday.

Still, the player and team claim his rest yesterday was done out of an abundance of caution. He warmed up with the team on Friday but worked out with trainers off to the side as a non-participant in practice. He’s listed as questionable for tomorrow afternoon’s season opener in Seattle, but according to multiple sources, he’s not in a lot of pain, and he feels great about where he’s at. Even if he does miss some time, though, the team feels comfortable that newcomer Brian Robinson can help fill in.

Shanahan: 49ers Acquired Brian Robinson To Be Christian McCaffrey’s Top Backup

Although the 49ers traded Jordan Mason in March and had changed their backfield makeup behind Christian McCaffrey, the Brian Robinson trade became an about-face of sorts. The All-Pro has a new backup.

Isaac Guerendo is a third-round pick who has three years left on his rookie contract, but the 2024 draftee has seen his role change shortly before the season. Robinson will be the 49ers’ primary backup, Kyle Shanahan said (via the San Jose Mercury News’ Cam Inman). Shanahan indicated this 49ers regime had been fans of Robinson coming out of Alabama.

The 49ers have been in need of backfield depth for years. The team has regularly lost starters — from Jerick McKinnon to Tevin Coleman to Raheem Mostert to McCaffrey — during Shanahan’s tenure. While McCaffrey stayed healthy after being acquired in 2022 and throughout his Offensive Player of the Year 2023 season, he missed most of 2024. That made the Mason trade somewhat surprising, but the 49ers used a third-round pick on Guerendo — who clocked a sub-4.4-second 40-yard dash time at the 2024 Combine.

Guerendo averaged 5.0 yards per carry in 16 games last season but had been battling a shoulder injury for a few weeks in training camp. Robinson, who recovered from gunshot wounds sustained just before his rookie season, had operated as the Commanders’ top running back for most of his rookie contract. But he was a Ron RiveraMartin Mayhew draftee whom the current regime considered trading last year. The Adam Peters-run team then began shopping him in earnest this month, and after the 49ers and Commanders connected on the Deebo Samuel trade March 1, Robinson will take up Bay Area residency in a deal that sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to Washington.

Adding an important note on the pick, CardsWire’s Howard Balzer specifies it is a conditional selection. The conditions are not known, but it is not guaranteed the Commanders will fetch a sixth for their previous RB1. The 49ers have their own sixth-rounder that year in addition to Minnesota’s thanks to the Mason trade. Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area notes the Commanders will receive the lower of those two selections provided the conditions are met.

Guerendo will also presumably retain a role should McCaffrey go down, but he has been bumped down to the third-string level as a result of the trade. The speed back complementing Robinson’s between-the-tackles work would seemingly be San Francisco’s plan in the even CMC is hurt again, but Robinson will also see a significant role reduction — after 570 carries from 2022-24 — as a result of this trade.

49ers To Acquire RB Brian Robinson From Commanders

Brian Robinson‘s tenure in Washington is coming to an end as expected. The fourth-year running back will spend the coming season in San Francisco.

The 49ers and Commanders agreed to terms on a Robinson trade Friday, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter. A 2026 sixth-round pick will head the other way as a result of the swap. San Francisco had been in the market for a backfield addition, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Efforts to pull off a move have now paid off ahead of roster cutdowns. Washington will retain a portion of Robinson’s 2025 salary ($3.4MM), Garafolo adds.

It recently became clear Washington was looking to move on from Robinson, who did not dress in the team’s second preseason game with a trade looming. The team’s Dan Quinn-Adam Peters regime has been open to a trade since last year, and with a swap now agreed to it will proceed with its other in-house RB options. Washington has veteran Austin Ekeler in the fold along with 2023 draftee Chris Rodriguez and seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who has enjoyed a strong training camp.

Quarterback Jayden Daniels led the Commanders in rushing last year, and today’s deal indicates he will once again be counted on as a central element of the team’s ground game. Expectations are high after Washington made a surprise run to the NFC title game during Daniels’ rookie campaign. Robinson will not play a role in the team’s efforts to duplicate that success, though.

Racking up 570 carries across his three seasons in the nation’s capital, Robinson was a key figure on offense with the Commanders. The former third-rounder saw his touchdown total and yards per attempt figure increase with each passing campaign. That included eight scores and 4.3 yards per carry in 2024. Instead of retaining Robinson on the final year of his rookie pact, however, Washington will proceed with a less expensive backfield.

The Commanders will recoup draft capital in this swap, something which is needed given the number of veterans on their roster. For the 49ers, meanwhile, today’s deal marks another addition on offense for the 2025 season. A trade was worked out on Wednesday for Skyy Moore, giving San Francisco a healthy receiver option. Moore, like Robinson, is a pending 2026 free agent.

The 49ers have Christian McCaffrey atop the RB depth chart, and all parties involved will aim for a healthier season this time around than 2024. After trading away Jordan Masonthe team was in position to have 2024 fourth-rounder Isaac Guerendo handle backup duties. Now, he and Robinson will compete for playing time in the backfield (although using McCaffrey and Robinson on the field together could be an option, per Garafolo). Robinson’s market will of course be dictated in large part by the level of success he has with his new team.

San Francisco entered Friday with with nearly $49MM in cap space. Taking on Robinson will eat into the figure, and it will be interesting to see how much Washington retained on his pact to finalize the trade. The Commanders, meanwhile, should see partial cap savings and thus add to their roughly $17MM in available funds ahead of cutdowns. As both NFC teams prepare for the campaign in the coming days, they will do so with differences in their backfields.

Commanders Were Willing To Trade RB Brian Robinson In 2024

Not long after it was learned the Commanders are prepared to trade running back Brian Robinsonteam and player decided he would not play in yesterday’s preseason contest. A parting of ways appears to be forthcoming.

[RELATED: No Progress On Terry McLaurin Extension Talks]

Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters spoke with Robinson on Sunday about sitting him for Monday’s contest against the Bengals. The rest of the team was then informed of the news. Quinn’s latest remarks on the subject do not confirm a trade or release will take place, but they continue to point in that direction.

“It’s just a lot of moving parts,” Quinn said, via The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala (subscription required). “This time of year, those things take place and… it’s my responsibility to let the team know whenever I can so they’re not hearing any information from anywhere else.”

Notably, an AFC executive informed Jhabvala the Commanders were prepared to move on from Robinson last offseason. Instead, the first year of the Peters-Quinn regime saw him remain in the fold. Robinson once again handled lead back duties in 2024, setting new career highs in rushing yards (799), touchdowns (seven) and yards per attempt (4.3). A full campaign – the Alabama product has yet to play more than 15 games in a season – along with improved play up front for Washington could bring about an uptick in efficiency and production.

At this point, though, it is increasingly clear Robinson is not on course to spend the coming campaign with the Commanders. The 26-year-old has one season remaining on his rookie pact and is owed a base salary of $3.41MM for 2025. A trade or release would result in that figure being saved against the cap with the team incurring a dead money charge of only $212K.

While moving on from Robinson would thus have notable financial benefits, it would lead to a shift in the Commanders’ backfield. Veteran Austin Ekeler is still in the fold as a pass-catching presence as well as a returner. Seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt and 2023 draftee Chris Rodriguez would assume larger roles in the event Robinson were to be dealt ahead of Week 1.

With roster cuts looming, a number of teams face decisions similar to this one. Nothing is officially in place regarding a Robinson move, but especially considering Washington’s approach to him last year it would come as no surprise if team and player moved on shortly.

Commanders Shopping RB Brian Robinson

AUGUST 18: A mutual decision between team and player has been made for Robinson not to suit up for tonight’s preseason contest, as first reported by NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo. That represents a clear sign a trade is on tap with the Commanders looking to ensure an injury does not occur. This situation remains one to watch closely.

AUGUST 17: The Commanders are open to trading running back Brian Robinson, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.

Robinson, 26, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. He was a consistent but unspectacular ballcarrier in his first three seasons, recording between 700 and 800 rushing yards in each of the last three seasons with 20 total touchdowns. In 2024, Robinson put up career-highs in 2024 as a rusher (799 yards, eight touchdowns), but veteran signing Austin Ekeler ate into his passing-down snap share.

Robinson is currently listed as the Commanders’ starting running back on the team’s unofficial depth chart, so their willingness to trade him suggests a few things. First, with Robinson entering a contract year, he may be seeking an extension without mutual interest from Washington’s front office. Two running backs from his draft class – James Cook and Kyren Williams – recently signed second contracts with the teams that drafted them. Cook, who statistically outpaces Robinson by a significant margin, received $11.5MM per year with $30MM in total guarantees.

Williams is more comparable and signed for $11MM per year with $23MM in total guarantees. As a result, Robinson could be seeking upwards of $10MM per year and $20MM in guaranteed money. The Commanders could have concerns about his pedestrian rushing efficiency (4.1 career yards per carry) and may want to recoup some value in a trade rather than meeting his demands.

Placing Robinson on the trade block also indicates that the Commanders are confident in the other running backs on their roster. Ekeler, Chris Rodriguez, and Jeremy McNichols were all more efficient than Robinson last year, albeit on smaller sample sizes. Preseason hype has also been building around seventh-rounder Jacory Croskey-Merritt, who could make the 53-man roster and compete for a role in the backfield.

However, a trade seems unlikely to come together this close to the regular season. The Commanders could re-bait the hook closer to the trade deadline, by which time injuries could increase teams’ need for backfield depth.

Coaching Notes: Turner, Colts, Cards, Flores

In addition to the previously reported player gripes about the state of the Commanders‘ offense, John Keim of ESPN.com notes others in the organization expressed frustration about the inconsistencies within the team’s offensive philosophy. Washington fired three-year OC Scott Turner on Tuesday, despite having signed him to a three-year extension, and signs point to the team making a more concerted effort to focus on its run game. Ron Rivera and GM Martin Mayhew expressed a desire to run more, even after the Commanders ranked fourth in rushing attempts (538). But Keim adds a litany of complaints surfaced about the nature of the offense — from the team deviating from effective plays to Turner’s scheme being difficult for quarterbacks to digest. Concern about the offense emanated inside the building throughout the year, per Keim, who adds Rivera sat in on offensive meetings at points amid the unrest.

The Commanders’ issues at quarterback and on their O-line, a unit full of veterans, hamstrung Turner’s unit. So did injuries, as the team planned to have Brian Robinson play a major role from the start. The two gunshot wounds he sustained in August derailed those plans, and Carson Wentz barely ended up playing with the third-round rookie this season. While outside candidates will be interviewed, Keim adds the Commanders generally like their offensive scheme. QBs coach Ken Zampese, a second-generation NFL assistant who was previously the Bengals’ OC, will likely be an in-house candidate.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • The Cardinals fired Kliff Kingsbury after four seasons and did so less than a year after signing him to an extension that ran through 2027. While Kingsbury firing rumors had been brewing for months, CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson notes (via Twitter) the young HC did not appear to be expecting it. When a “surprised and distraught” Kingsbury addressed his staffers, he mentioned some of them could be retained. One of them might be DC Vance Joseph, who has been connected to a possible promotion. The former Broncos HC served as Kingsbury’s DC throughout his four-year tenure.
  • One of Frank Reich‘s Colts staffers earned an interview for the team’s HC vacancy. Special teams coordinator Bubba Ventrone met with Jim Irsay and Co. about the position Wednesday, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. Ventrone, 40, broke into coaching after 10 NFL seasons as a player. After spending time on Bill Belichick‘s staff, Ventrone joined Reich’s staff in 2018 and has been in position as Indy’s ST coordinator since. This is his first interview for a head coaching gig. The Colts can interview their own staffers, unattached coaches and Eagles or Chiefs staffers this week but must wait until midway through next week to begin meeting with candidates from teams playing on wild-card weekend.
  • Although Brandon Staley guided the Chargers to the playoffs, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com does not get the sense the second-year HC’s job is 100% safe. A loss to the Jaguars may prompt Chargers ownership to change course. Sean Payton lurking may well affect Staley’s standing, should the Jags prevail. The Bolts job came up several months ago for Payton, who already lives in Los Angeles, and this potential partnership has been a poorly kept secret in NFL circles.
  • Brian Flores will interview for the Browns‘ DC job Thursday, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tweets, though the Steelers linebackers coach is believed to have other teams interested. Flores’ discrimination lawsuit is ongoing, but the former Dolphins HC just wrapped a season on Mike Tomlin‘s staff. The Browns are also interviewing Jim Schwartz and Sean Desai, with a Jerod Mayo request out there as well.
  • Two more Panthers assistants have left to join Matt Rhule at Nebraska. Rob Dvoracek and Garett McGuire have left the Panthers to become the Cornhuskers’ linebackers and wide receivers coaches, respectively, Joe Person of The Athletic tweets. Both were in low-level assistant roles with Carolina and each played for Rhule — Dvoracek at Temple, McGuire at Baylor. These exits follow Terrance Knighton‘s; Knighton departed the Panthers in-season.

Commanders Activate RB Brian Robinson To 53-Man Roster

Brian Robinson is in line to make his NFL debut tomorrow. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports (on Twitter) that the Commanders have activated the rookie running back from the non-football injury list. Robinson returned to practice earlier this week.

The third-round rookie suffered multiple gunshot wounds in an attempted carjacking at the end of August. The gunshots hit his hip and knee, though there was no serious damage to his ligaments, tendons, or bones, leading to optimism that Robinson would be back this season. The RB quickly provided some optimism when he was seen doing footwork and agility drills in the middle of September. His stay on PUP ended up being a short one, and after opening his practice window earlier this week, Washington will now welcome the rook to the 53-man roster.

Robinson was impressive through the spring and in training camp, leading some to wonder if he could be in line for first-team reps. The rookie saw a significant workload early on in the preseason, and he joined many of the team’s bona fide starters on the sideline for the team’s preseason finale.

It will be interesting to see how much work Robinson gets in a crowded backfield that also features Antonio Gibson and J.D. McKissic. After topping 1,000 yards from scrimmage in each of his first two seasons, Gibson has earned the start in each of Washington’s first four games this year. After hitting 130 yards from scrimmage in Week 1, Gibson has been limited to only 144 offensive yards over the past three weeks. He snap count has also continued to drop, leading some to wonder if he could be eyeing a reduced role with Robinson back in the lineup. McKissic, meanwhile, continues to serve in his standard pass-catching role, hauling in 17 catches through the first four weeks.

“You’ve got a good group of backs that rotate through and you try to find the matchups that you can exploit,” Commanders coach Ron Rivera said recently (via ESPN’s John Keim).

Robinson had a successful career at Alabama, including a breakout 2021 campaign where he finished with 1,343 rushing yards and 296 receiving yards. Thanks to his performance, he ended up being the sixth RB off the draft board when he was selected by Washington in the third round (No. 98) of this year’s draft.

Commanders Activate RB Brian Robinson

OCTOBER 3: As expected, the team is indeed opening the three-week window for Robinson’s return to practice, head coach Ron Rivera confirmed on Monday.

OCTOBER 2: The Commanders are expected to activate running back Brian Robinson from the reserve/NFI list this week, as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. While Robinson has been trending in the right direction, this news is nonetheless a welcome development given that he suffered multiple gunshot wounds in an attempted carjacking at the end of August.

Robinson, a third-round rookie, was impressive in spring work and in training camp, leading to reports that he could be in line for the RB1 role, ahead of 2020-21 starter Antonio Gibson. Robinson took on a larger offensive workload in the early stages of the preseason, whereas Gibson was used as a kick returner for the first time in his pro career. Then, in the preseason finale, Robinson sat out, another sign that he was poised to work with the starting offense.

Shortly after the shooting, it was reported that Robinson was eyeing a return to the field this season, and in the middle of September, we learned that the Alabama product was already doing footwork and agility drills, which suggested that he was getting closer to game action. Rapoport cautions that Robinson is not necessarily assured of playing in Washington’s Week 5 matchup against the Titans; his activation would simply open a three-week window for him to practice before he either has to play or else be shut down for the remainder of the year.

John Keim of ESPN.com adds (via Twitter) that Robinson will have his right leg reexamined today (the gunshots hit his hip and knee, though there was no serious damage to his ligaments, tendons, or bones). Assuming the examination goes well, he would be activated Monday and practice on Wednesday. In his absence, Gibson and J.D. McKissic have split reps in the offensive backfield, with Gibson taking most of the handoffs and McKissic being used in more of a receiver role. Gibson has rushed 40 times for 124 yards, good for a meager 3.1 YPC average. Washington is ranked in the bottom-eight in the league in terms of rushing offense, so the club is doubtlessly eager to get Robinson going.

In other injury news, defensive end Chase Young, who is recovering from an ACL tear, is continuing to target a midseason return. That is consistent with what we heard in August. Center Tyler Larsen, meanwhile, will come off the PUP list this coming week and will be evaluated in practice (Twitter link via Keim). Larsen, who started three games for the Commanders last year, is dealing with an Achilles injury.

NFC East Notes: Cowboys, Miller, Kearse, Commanders, Eagles, Seumalo, Giants

Being Von Miller‘s hometown team, the Cowboys had a recruiting advantage this offseason. Miller expressed interest in returning to the Broncos, but when that did not happen, he opened the door to a hometown discount with the Cowboys. Dallas’ offer was believed to be the same one it proposed now-Denver-stationed Randy Gregory — five years, $70MM. Miller moved on, choosing the Bills’ three guaranteed years ahead of Rams proposal that would have paid him more in the short term. After Gregory spurned the Cowboys, they opted for a thriftier trip through the pass-rushing market.

Von Miller is a great football player,” Cowboys executive VP Stephen Jones said on 105.3 The Fan, via Pro Football Talk’s Charean Williams. “I mean, you see them play at that level and especially this early there is a lot of school of thought on older guys like that that when you really get those guys are for more so for the playoffs than it is for the first part, middle of the season. Now, granted, I’m sure there was a little bit of motivation for Von playing for the Rams and winning a Super Bowl to go out there and showcase what he’s all about.

There is a lot of players that if there was unlimited cap space that you could do things, but that wasn’t a short-term, one-year deal. It was a long-term deal, and we had to not only look at what we’re doing this year but look at what is going to be coming at us here in a year or two. Just made a conscientious decision there that we wanted to go with the direction that we went.”

The Cowboys turned to a committee approach to replace Gregory, re-signing Dorance Armstrong, adding Dante Fowler as a UFA and drafting Sam Williams in Round 2. Here is the latest from the NFC East:

  • Brian Robinson continues to make progress after suffering two gunshot wounds on August 28. The rookie Commanders running back attended practice for the first time since being shot in the hip and knee. The third-round pick had a wrap around his right knee but did footwork and agility drills on a side field, per the Washington Post’s Nicki Jhabvala. Robinson is eligible to come off Washington’s reserve/NFI list in Week 5.
  • The Eagles created some cap space this week. They restructured Isaac Seumalo‘s contract, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter). A $4.62MM chunk of Seumalo’s base salary is now a signing bonus, opening up $3.69MM in cap room. The Eagles now hold nearly $11MM in space, a total that sits sixth in the league. This is Seumalo’s contract year, though four void years are on the deal as well now. The team not doing another deal with the starting guard by the start of the 2023 league year would create a $7.53MM dead-money charge.
  • Second-year Giants cornerback Aaron Robinson will be out for Week 2 due to an appendix removal, Brian Daboll said (via the New York Post’s Paul Schwartz). This likely will be a multigame absence for the first-year starter, Schwartz adds. Robinson, a 2021 third-round pick, played every Giants defensive snap opposite Adoree’ Jackson in Week 1. This depletes an already-thin position group for the Giants, who cut James Bradberry months ago. The team did draft slot option Cor’Dale Flott in Round 3, claimed ex-Steelers third-rounder Justin Layne via waivers and added ex-Washington and Atlanta starter Fabian Moreau to its practice squad. Of the three, Moreau is by far the most experienced option.
  • The Cowboys will be without one of their starting safeties for a while. Jayron Kearse sustained an MCL sprain in Week 1, per Jerry Jones (via ESPN.com’s Todd Archer, on Twitter). Kearse, who impressed as a Cowboys starter last year, re-signed with the team for two years and $10MM this offseason. He is expected to be out between two and four weeks. The Cowboys had a rough Week 1 on the injury front, losing Dak Prescott and Connor McGovern as well. Malik Hooker figures to step into the starting lineup alongside Donovan Wilson.

Commanders Injury Updates: Robinson, Thomas, Curl

After surviving an attempted robbery that resulted in multiple gunshot wounds, rookie third-round running back Brian Robinson is looking more and more likely to make a return to the field this season for the Commanders. On the Don Geronimo Show, head coach Ron Rivera divulged that the swelling in Robinson’s knee has gone down “an awful lot” and that Robinson is off crutches less than two weeks after suffering his non-life-threatening injuries, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

The Commanders were forced to place Robinson on the reserve/non-football injury list as a result of the shooting, meaning that, at the very least, Robinson will miss four games to begin his rookie season. Many expected the result to be much, much worse, but it’s looking more and more like a Week 5 return is possible, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Here’s a few more updates out of DC, starting with some more good news on the offensive side of the ball:

  • Washington’s starting tight end, Logan Thomas, will be available for the season opener tomorrow versus the Jaguars after tearing his ACL and MCL only nine months ago, according to ESPN’s John Keim. Thomas opened training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list, being activated off the list about three weeks ago, but has been practicing with a brace on his leg since coming back. The former Virginia Tech quarterback will want to try and recapture the magic of his breakout season two years ago, when he caught 72 balls for 670 yards and six touchdowns. The addition of Thomas should give new quarterback Carson Wentz a full array of targets along with Terry McLaurin, rookie first-round pick Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel.
  • After suffering a thumb injury a little over a week ago, it was confirmed that starting safety Kamren Curl indeed underwent surgery to repair his thumb, according to Jhabvala and Sam Fortier of The Washington Post. Curl feels that he could potentially play “if it came to that,” but he will forgo the club-like cast and play it safe as he works towards a quick recovery. Curl is expected to miss the the season opener, according to a tweet from Keim, but his absence is expected to end there. According to Jhabvala’s Twitter account, Rivera is “pretty optimistic” that Curl will only miss one game, making sure to clarify that he is not the team’s doctor, for what it’s worth.