SANTA CLARA — The 49ers that close out the exhibition season Saturday night against the Los Angeles Chargers should bear no resemblance to the team that plays its regular season on the road against the Seattle Seahawks in Sept. 7.
“We’ll see how many guys get to go in that game, but (we) probably won’t play a lot of the starters,” coach Kyle Shanahan said.
The good news for the 49ers is they’ve avoided a catastrophic injury to a one of their star players. The bad news is there have been enough nagging injuries to create an uncertain outlook for Week 1 against the Seahawks.
Ranking the 49ers’ major injury concerns with one practice to go Wednesday, the Chargers exhibition on Saturday at Levi’s Stadium (5:30 p.m.) and a roster cutdown to 53 looming Tuesday (Aug. 26):
1. RG Dominick Puni: The 49ers’ best lineman aside from Trent Williams, Puni sustained a posterior cruciate ligament strain while blocking on a place kick against the Raiders. Puni was so durable he missed only one snap his entire rookie season. He may not be ready to go Week 1.
Now the 49ers are faced with having to replace Puni at right guard. Assuming Ben Bartch is sufficiently recovered from an elbow injury to start at left guard, that would leave either Nick Zakelj or rookie seventh-round pick Connor Colby at right guard. That’s a pretty steep drop.
2. WR Jauan Jennings: Come out, come out wherever you are. As if to prove a point, Jennings looked very good during the 49ers initial practices but has been out since July 27 with a calf injury. If the absence is tied in with his wish for a contract extension, Shanahan says it’s news to him.
While teammate Brandon Aiyuk has been a regular presence during practice urging his teammates on, Jennings has been spotted only briefly and from a distance and has been silent in both mainstream and social media. Jennings is experienced enough that missed practice time won’t hurt him as much as it would a younger player.
But if Jennings is either too injured to play or staying away because of his contract, it’s a substantial loss. The 49ers traded for former Chiefs second-round pick Skyy Moore Wednesday, but it seems unlikely he’d step in to a big role and a new offense after playing in only six games last year due to injury.
Shanahan said on KNBR-680 Wednesday the 49ers are planning on not having Demarcus Robinson for the first three games for being in violation of the NFL policy on substances of abuse. Ricky Pearsall Jr. and Robinson have been the best two receivers in camp and it’s not close.
If Robinson is suspended in advance of the opener and Jennings doesn’t play, the receiving corps would consist of Pearsall and either Russell Gage or Robbie Chosen. Maybe Moore if he’s a quick study.
Yikes.
3. CB Upton Stout: Stout has been dealing with “calf tightness” since missing the Denver game on Aug. 9. Shanahan said Tuesday he hoped to have Stout back on the field on Wednesday but it didn’t happen. That’s a lot of missed time for a rookie third-round pick.
In Stout’s absence, Chase Lucas has gotten a ton of work as a slot corner and performed admirably.
“These reps are gold, especially these game reps,” defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said Wednesday. “You can even see it from Chase who’s a veteran. Chase is playing much better football than when he first got into camp, diagnosing runs, formations and indicators. You can’t get better without reps.”
Stout had all but been anointed the role of nickel corner.
4. DE Mykel Williams: The 49ers’ No. 11 overall draft pick appeared to be a starter opposite Nick Bosa with the ability to move inside on pass rush downs. He still might, but hasn’t practiced since being injured against Denver and that’s a lot of time for a rookie to miss. Even if he plays, his snap count could be limited.
The 49ers believe they may have a DeForest Buckner-Arik Armstead type talent on their defensive line. Whether he’ll get to show it or not against Seattle is an open question.
5. DT C.J. West: West, a fourth-round pick, joined the hyperextended knee club during a joint practice with the Raiders on Aug. 14. That means more time for rookie Alfred Collins, as well as Kalia Davis and undrafted rookie Sebastian Valdez inside.
West wowed onlookers with his hand-to-hand combat skills in one-on-one drills and in some practice sessions.
Quarterback Mac Jones has a knee injury but coach Kyle Shanahan expects him to to back up Brock Purdy in Week 1 against Seattle. A.P. Photo
6. LG Ben Bartch: Bartch wasn’t practicing Wednesday, but he was wearing a brace, working extremely hard with a member of the training staff and was getting his elbow yanked pretty good. He looks close. Shanahan said playing with a brace was a possibility.
7. WR Jacob Cowing: Cowing missed time immediately with a hamstring strain during the opening of camp. Now he’s out again with a lower body injury of some type. His development as a receiver has been stalled, and the question is whether he’d be available to return punts in the opener. If not, seventh-round pick Junior Bergen could at least temporarily be on the game day roster.
8. QB Mac Jones: Came out of the Raiders game with a knee injury Shanahan doesn’t believe to be serious enough to keep him out of the opener. If it is, then it’s Carter Bradley and then Nate Sudfeld if Purdy were to be injured.
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9. WR Jordan Watkins: Watkins made his share of mistakes but also his share of big plays as a fourth-round draft pick who was getting plenty of reps with Jennings and Aiyuk out. Watkins, however, was lot to a high ankle sprain in the Denver preseason opener and missed a lot of practice time. That’s a problem anywhere, but especially with the 49ers in Shanahan’s offense.
10. DT Jordan Elliott: Considered stout against the run, Elliott missed substantial time with a back injury but has practiced the last two days, with Wednesday being one of the most strenuous of camp. Depending on what’s going on with the rookies West and Williams, his role could be considerable.
