Week 18 status remains uncertain as San Francisco 49ers 4 Important Players Will Miss The Matchup
SANTA CLARA — Wide receiver Jauan Jennings has progressed through the NFL’s concussion protocol in order to return to 49ers practice this week.
Jennings, who sat out the past two games, took part Thursday in his second day of limited practice in a row.
However, it remains uncertain whether Jennings will return to action Sunday when the 49ers wrap up the 2023 NFL regular season against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium.
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Jennings, the 49ers’ No. 3 wide receiver, has 19 catches for 265 yards and a touchdown in 13 games this season.
Coach Kyle Shanahan already has suggested six players will be inactive for the game due to injuries, including starting running back Christian McCaffrey (calf), defensive tackle Arik Armstead (foot and knee), and safeties Tashaun Gipson (quadricep) and Ji’Ayir Brown (knee).
When asked Wednesday if he could have played Sunday if the 49ers had not already wrapped up home-field advantage in the playoffs, McCaffrey answered, “Oh, 100 percent. Yeah, 100 percent.”
In addition to the six injured players, quarterback Brock Purdy will not play in the game as a precaution, Shanahan said.
Purdy is splitting the practice snaps this week with backup Sam Darnold, who will start against the Rams. Purdy is likely to be inactive as the team’s No. 3 emergency quarterback behind Darnold and Brandon Allen.
The 49ers’ first playoff game will take place in the NFC divisional round, most likely on Saturday, Jan. 20.
Tight end Ross Dwelley (ankle) and cornerback Ambry Thomas (hand) are not expected to play Sunday, either.
Thomas underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair his fractured right hand. He is expected to be ready to play in the postseason.
Backup tackle Jaylon Moore has been fully cleared out of the NFL’s concussion protocol and is likely to see a lot of action at left tackle on Sunday. The 49ers could opt to keep Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams sidelined for most or all of the regular-season finale.
The 49ers still have wide receivers Ray-Ray McCloud (rib) and Danny Gray (shoulder) on injured reserve. Both went through full practices on Thursday.
The team opened their practice windows and both players are eligible to return to the team’s 53-man roster in order to be available for Sunday’s game and the playoffs.
The Raiders soon will launch their latest search for a new head coach. Star defensive end Maxx Crosby believes it shouldn’t take long to find the right person.
Crosby on Thursday made the case for interim coach Antonio Pierce getting the job.
“There’s only 32 [NFL] head coaches in the whole world,” Crosby said Thursday, via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN.com. “So you’ve got to find a leader of men. And when you’ve got one of them in the building currently, I don’t know why you would let them go.”
Earlier this week, receiver Davante Adams expressed support for Pierce.
Owner Mark Davis declined to keep interim coach Rich Bisaccia two years ago, even though the Raiders made it to the playoffs and nearly beat the Bengals. That should, in theory, make Davis more inclined to not make the same mistake again.
Hovering over the situation is Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh. Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal recently connected the preliminary dots that could bring Harbaugh back to the team with which his coaching career began, in 2002.
The hiring of agent Don Yee and Yee’s connection to Tom Brady and Brady’s connection to the Raiders could mean something. Or nothing. Regardless, Davis has to balance the possibility of hiring Harbaugh against the possibility of Harbaugh landing with the Chargers instead.
