49ers To Start Jimmy Garoppolo In Week 7
Jimmy Garoppolo will return to a starting role for the 49ers this week. The fifth-year 49er is off the team’s injury report and good to go for Sunday night’s game against the Colts.
Trey Lance will not suit up due to the knee sprain he sustained in Week 5. San Francisco’s bye week allowed Garoppolo to recover in time to become the rare incumbent to recapture his job from a rookie-year first-rounder. Though these situations usually end with the younger talent taking over for good, Kyle Shanahan said Garoppolo would keep his job when healthy.
A high ankle sprain felled Garoppolo midway through last season, and he did not return. This year’s calf ailment proved to be milder, and Garoppolo will come back after missing just one game. The 30-year-old veteran — after being mentioned in trades during the offseason and viewed as a lame duck after the 49ers traded two future first-rounders for Lance — will have an interesting opportunity to submit a case he remains the best option for the 49ers to reach their 2021 ceiling.
Garoppolo is unlikely to have his top offensive lineman available, however. The 49ers declared Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams doubtful for Week 7 due to ankle and elbow injuries.
Several Teams Looking Into Marlon Mack
The Colts have used Marlon Mack sparingly this season, but the fifth-year running back continues to generate some interest ahead of the Nov. 2 trade deadline. Linked to Mack earlier this month, the Chiefs have some company on this front.
While the Chiefs continue to be connected to the former 1,000-yard rusher, USA Today’s Josina Anderson notes the 49ers, Panthers and Saints have also checked in with the Colts on Mack recently (Twitter link). Mack re-signed with the Colts on a one-year deal but has been on the trade block for a bit now.
Indianapolis has Jonathan Taylor and Nyheim Hines locked in as its long-term duo, with Mack logging just 25 carries thus far this season. Mack suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon in Week 1 of last season but has recovered. Taylor gained control of the Colts’ backfield during Mack’s hiatus, and Indy agreed to make an effort at finding Mack a landing spot via trade.
Carolina is without Christian McCaffrey for at least two more games, having placed him on IR with a troublesome hamstring injury last week. Fourth-round rookie Chuba Hubbard leads the Panthers’ backfield, which lost Mike Davis in free agency in March. The Saints released Latavius Murray before Week 1 and are without backup Tony Jones for the time being, while the 49ers have run into a litany of injury issues at running back. San Francisco lost Raheem Mostert for the year, and Kyle Shanahan is targeting November for Jeff Wilson (PUP) to return from his foot injury. The 49ers have also seen promising rookie Elijah Mitchell and veteran JaMycal Hasty run into injury trouble.
Prior to Mack’s Achilles setback, he totaled 1,999 rushing yards between the 2018 and ’19 seasons. Behind Taylor this year, Mack has gained 97 yards on 25 carries. The 25-year-old back is due less than $750K in base salary the rest of the way.
49ers To Sign Mychal Kendricks
The 49ers are set to sign Mychal Kendricks (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The deal will become official by the end of the business day, pending the linebacker’s physical.
Kendricks spent training camp with the Niners, but they released him before the season due to a toe injury. He’s believed to be healthy now and ready to support SF’s front seven.
The veteran may have some rust to shake off. He’s yet to play in 2021 and his 2020 was limited to just two contests — one regular season game and one playoff game. Before all of that, he started 14 games for the Seahawks in 2019 but missed much of 2018 while dealing with legal matters.
Kendricks, who just turned 31 late last month, offers 91 pro starts and 19 sacks, despite being a career off-ball linebacker. The bulk of his work came with the Eagles, where he amassed 14 of his sacks and ~80% of his career 548 tackles.
Once Kendricks is signed, he’ll be eligible to play in Sunday’s game against the Colts.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 10/14/21
Today’s taxi squad moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: P Ryan Winslow
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed: WR Daurice Fountain
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: K Michael Badgley (story)
- Released: C Joey Hunt
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DL Andrew Brown, T Foster Sarell
- Released: LB Nate Hall
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Dontae Johnson
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/12/21
Keeping tabs on today’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from Reserve/COVID-19 list: TE Darrell Daniels
Chicago Bears
- Promoted: OLB/DL Sam Kamara
Cleveland Browns
- Promoted: DE Joe Jackson, FB Johnny Stanton
- Placed on IR: OL Chris Hubbard (story), FB Andy Janovich, S M.J. Stewart
Detroit Lions
- Signed off Steelers’ practice squad: CB Mark Gilbert
Houston Texans
- Signed to active roster: WR Chris Moore
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed off Steelers’ practice squad: OL Rashaad Coward
Kansas City Chiefs
- Promoted: T Prince Tega Wanogho
- Waived: WR Daurice Fountain
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed off 49ers practice squad: OL Senio Kelemete
- Placed on IR: G Oday Aboushi
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: WR Dan Chisena
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Christian Ringo
- Signed off Bears practice squad: K Brian Johnson
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived: CB Davontae Harris, RB Jacques Patrick
49ers Release CB Buster Skrine
The 49ers may not be playing in Week 6, but that didn’t stop the team from reshuffling their cornerbacks depth chart. The team announced this evening that they’ve activated cornerback Davontae Harris from injured reserve. To make room on the roster, the 49ers released cornerback Buster Skrine.
Harris, 26, was claimed off waivers from the Ravens in late August, and San Francisco promptly placed him on IR. The former fifth-round pick has seen time in 30 career games, including a 2020 campaign where he appeared in 11 games (two starts) between the Broncos and Ravens.
Skrine joined the 49ers in late September, and he saw time on three special teams snaps during the 49ers’ Week 4 loss to the Seahawks. The 32-year-old previously started 92 of his 152 games across 10 professional seasons. He got into 12 games (three starts) for the Bears in 2020, collecting 66 tackles and one forced fumble.
Skrine was listed as the backup nickelback behind K’Waun Williams, so there’s a chance Harris slides into that role. Otherwise, he’ll be competing with the likes of Josh Norman, Dontae Johnson, Ambry Thomas, and Dre Kirkpatrick to get reps behind Emmanuel Moseley and Deommodore Lenoir.
Jimmy Garoppolo Will Remain 49ers’ Starting QB When Healthy
Trey Lance will get the start at quarterback for the 49ers today in place of the injured Jimmy Garoppolo, but as Ian Rapoport of NFL.com writes, Garoppolo will get his job back as soon as he is healthy enough. The Niners hope that will happen when they return from their Week 6 bye to take on the Colts in Week 7.
Although San Francisco obviously selected Lance with the No. 3 overall pick in this year’s draft with the hopes that he would be the long-term solution at quarterback, head coach Kyle Shanahan has made it clear ever since Lance was drafted that Garoppolo would remain the club’s starter in the near-term, and perhaps even through the 2022 season (though that would certainly qualify as a surprise).
When recently asked about the possibility of getting Lance more involved in the offense, Shanahan said, “There’s not a quarterback battle right now. We’re going with [Garoppolo] who I think is playing very well. I’m happy that he is so Trey is not thrown into any situations he has to do too early.”
At the time Shanahan made that statement, the 49ers had just lost their first game of the season, a narrow defeat to the Packers that dropped them to 2-1 on the season. But they followed that up with a loss to the Seahawks last week, a game in which Garoppolo sustained the calf injury that limited him to one half of play and that is keeping him on the sidelines this week. Though he threw a TD pass on the Niners’ first drive of the Seattle contest, Garoppolo struggled to get anything going during the rest of his time on the field.
For the season, the soon-to-be 30-year-old has completed 66.1% of his passes for five TDs and two interceptions, good for a 96.2 QB rating. After replacing Garoppolo against the Seahawks, Lance threw a 76-yard TD strike to Deebo Samuel, but he was unable to cross midfield again until there was just 1:20 left in the game. He ultimately completed nine of 18 passes for 157 yards and two scores.
Of course, if the North Dakota State product impresses today, Shanahan could change his tune in a hurry. But if Lance should struggle, then look for Garoppolo to be reinserted into the starting lineup in two weeks’ time.
Minor NFL Transactions: 10/9/21
Here is Week 5 Saturday’s minor move spree:
Arizona Cardinals
- Promoted: OL Danny Isidora, TE Ross Travis, CB Jace Whittaker
Atlanta Falcons
- Activated from IR: CB Kendall Sheffield
- Promoted: WR Juwan Green, CB Chris Williamson
- Waived: TE Parker Hesse
Baltimore Ravens
- Designated for return: G Tyre Phillips
Carolina Panthers
- Promoted: S Kenny Robinson, RB Rodney Smith
Cleveland Browns
- Activated from IR: LB Anthony Walker
- Promoted: DE Joe Jackson, DB Jovante Moffatt
Dallas Cowboys
- Promoted: FB Nick Ralston, TE Jeremy Sprinkle
Denver Broncos
- Promoted: WR Tyrie Cleveland
Detroit Lions
- Promoted: TE Shane Zylstra
Houston Texans
- Placed on IR: OL Marcus Cannon
- Promoted: QB Jeff Driskel, WR Chris Moore
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: QB Brett Hundley
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Promoted: K Matthew Wright
Kansas City Chiefs
- Activated from IR: LB Willie Gay
- Promoted: DE Demone Harris
- Waived: LB Darius Harris
Los Angeles Chargers
- Activated from IR: CB Ryan Smith
Miami Dolphins
- Activated from IR: DT Raekwon Davis
- Promoted: WR Isaiah Ford, DE Jabaal Sheard
Minnesota Vikings
- Promoted: G Dakota Dozier, CB Parry Nickerson, CB Tye Smith
- Waived: WR Dan Chisena
New England Patriots
- Promoted: DB Myles Bryant, OL James Ferentz, OL Alex Redmond, G William Sherman
New Orleans Saints
- Promoted: OL Jordan Mills, WR Kenny Stills
- Released: DT Christian Ringo
New York Giants
- Promoted: T Korey Cunningham
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Blake Cashman
- Promoted: S Jarrod Wilson, TE Kenny Yeboah
Philadelphia Eagles
- Promoted: T Le’Raven Clark
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Promoted: S Karl Joseph, WR Cody White
- Released: G Rashaad Coward
San Francisco 49ers
- Promoted: WR Travis Benjamin, TE Tanner Hudson, QB Nate Sudfeld
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Activated from IR: OLB Cam Gill
- Promoted: TE Codey McElroy, DB Rashard Robinson
Tennessee Titans
- Activated from IR: WR Marcus Johnson
- Promoted: S Jamal Carter, DL Caraun Reid, LB John Simon
- Waived: LB Sharif Finch
Washington Football Team
- Promoted: WR Antonio Gandy-Golden
49ers To Place George Kittle On IR
Listed as doubtful for Week 5, George Kittle is now certain to miss Trey Lance‘s starting debut and at least the following two games. The 49ers’ All-Pro tight end will head to IR, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets.
Kittle is battling a calf injury, and although he played through the ailment last week, he did not practice this week. The 49ers hope Kittle will be ready to go when he is first eligible to come off IR in Week 8.
This represents a blow for the 49ers’ offense and continues both a bad injury stretch for Kittle and the team. Kittle suffered a knee sprain and a fractured foot last season, which halted the star tight end’s progress after he had strung together back-to-back Pro Bowl slates. Although it is early, Kittle has run into extensive health trouble since signing his big-ticket extension last year.
In 2018, Kittle broke the tight end receiving yardage record by breaking through with a dominant 1,377-yard campaign. The former fifth-round pick did so despite Jimmy Garoppolo missing most of that season. With Garoppolo back in the fold in 2019, Kittle played an essential role in the 49ers’ run to Super Bowl LIV by totaling 1,053 yards and five touchdowns.
After signing Jordan Reed last year, the 49ers have less experienced backups to fill in for Kittle going forward. Ross Dwelley and 2020 sixth-round pick Charlie Woerner reside as the other tight ends on San Francisco’s roster.
49ers To Start Trey Lance In Week 5
Jimmy Garoppolo‘s calf injury will keep him out of the 49ers’ game against the Cardinals. Trey Lance will make his debut as an NFL starter, Kyle Shanahan confirmed Friday.
This was the likely course of action for the 49ers, but the team had kept the door open for Garoppolo to come back after missing just a half. Instead, Lance will take the reins in a key NFC West matchup. Whether this will be a long-term transition or an injury-replacement stay will hinge on how Lance fares, though the runway appears clear for the atypical quarterback prospect.
The 49ers traded up nine spots to land Lance at No. 3, sacrificing two future first-round picks to do so. The team was more closely linked to Mac Jones than Lance going into the draft, and a recent report indicated the 49ers’ Jones interest spurred the trade. But the team decided on Lance, a one-year starter from Division I-FCS North Dakota State.
Lance, 21, has looked expectedly raw as a passer but has assisted the 49ers as a backup, throwing a touchdown pass in Week 1 and impressing as a runner early on. It should be expected Shanahan’s game plan will feature Lance’s dual-threat skill set in Arizona, after the talented rookie took over for Garoppolo against Seattle last week. Lance completed 9 of 18 passes against the Seahawks and rushed for 41 yards during his first half of steady NFL action.
Lance is unlikely to have the benefit of targeting one of the NFL’s best tight ends in his first start. The 49ers have listed George Kittle as doubtful to go with a calf injury. Kittle suffered the calf malady against the Packers but suited up for Week 4. After not practicing this week, the Pro Bowler does not have a good chance of playing Sunday.