Jimmie Ward And Jason Verrett Could Return in Week 5, Says Kyle Shanahan

Oct 5, 2022, 1:23 PM | Updated: 2:07 pm

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 02: Jimmie Ward #1 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts in the fourth quarter against the Houston Texans at Levi's Stadium on January 02, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

BY AMILIANO FRAGOSO

San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

Coming off Week 4’s win over the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers welcomed two key members of the defense back to practice Wednesday.

Safety Jimmie Ward and cornerback Jason Verrett have been on the IR and PUP lists to start the season, recovering from their respective injuries. But with both now scheduled to practice for the first time this season, a return to gameday is on the horizon according to their head coach.

“We’re gonna put [ Jimmie Ward ] in practice today, we’re not gonna do much full speed. Just, you know only two days removed [from Week 4], but he’ll be out there all week and we’ll see if he’s ready to go for Sunday,” Shanahan said Wednesday. “Yeah there is a chance [both DBs play in Week 5], him and Jason [Verrett] are the same deal.”

#49ers Jimmie Ward and Jason Verrett will officially be back to practice today and there is a chance that they could play on Sunday in Carolina, per Kyle Shanahan. pic.twitter.com/kL5tudrYd7

— OurSF49ers (@OurSf49ers) October 5, 2022

Ward has been on the short-term IR since sustaining a significant hamstring injury during the preseason, forcing him to miss the first four games of the regular season. Meanwhile, Verrett has been on the PUP list to open the year, recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Week 1 of the 2021 season.

Both have a 21-day window to return after their first official practice Wednesday, otherwise, they will be out for the remainder of the season.

It doesn’t appear they’ll be the case though. And the 49ers will need all the help they can get this Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Coming off a short week, the Panthers are a team that can give the Red & Gold troubles.

“I see a team that could very easily be 4-0,” Shanahan said. “I mean there’s only one game that they won the turnover battle in and they pretty much dominated that game…So you see a team that I think is playing really good defense. I think they have some talent on their offense. They’ve gotten in trouble just turning it over a little bit, which has hurt them, and I think that’s similar to us. So I don’t look at their record and think any differently.”