Arik Armstead Sprains MCL, Out For Rest Of Training Camp
Jul 29, 2022, 11:10 AM | Updated: 11:16 am
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JANUARY 16: Erik Armstead #91 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up against the Dallas Cowboys prior to an NFL wild-card playoff football game at AT&T Stadium on January 16, 2022 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
(Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
The injury bug has hit the San Francisco 49ers early this year.
Defensive tackle Arik Armstead suffered a knee sprain in Wednesday’s practice, (believed to be in the medial collateral ligament area) and will be out a few weeks, announced head coach Kyle Shanahan Friday.
Armstead appeared to suffer the injury to his right knee in a collision with an offensive lineman on the second snap of Wednesday’s full-team drills. The injury raised some concerns when the veteran was held out of pracice Thursday, but Shanahan assured the media that it won’t impact his availability for the season.
Coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that #49ers DL Arik Armstead sprained his MCL in practice and will be out a few weeks. The knee injury isn’t considered serious.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 29, 2022
“It’s nothing we’re too concerned about but it will take him some time away,” Shanahan said before practice Friday. “He thought it was just a bruise, because it didn’t bother him that bad, but it was hurting him a little after, then got the MRI, so we’ve got to hold him out a little bit.”
Despite the discomfort, Armstead remained in practice Wednesday, shedding a block before halting a run by Elijah Mitchell. But now out for presumably the rest of training camp and most of the preseason, the Red & Gold will need to shift to other D-line prospects to fill the hole of their captain.
Armstead, Nick Bosa, Kevin Givens and Samson Ebukam started on the 49ers’ defensive front when training camp practices opened this week but the team has depth at the position. Defensive tackles Maurice Hurst, Hassan Ridgeway, Kevin Atkins, Alex Barrett and Robert Nkemdiche represent the next line of options for the 49ers.
“It’s crazy a lot of depth. For sure, a lot of talent, a lot of great players,” Armstead said Tuesday. “We have a bunch of guys that can start here or on other teams. It’s going to be fun taking the field with them and getting better. When you add new pieces, you need to build continuity and it will be fun doing that.”
Arik Armstead's injury should highlight how durable he's been for the 49ers.
He's played in 71 of 71 possible games for SF over the past 4 seasons, and this most recent one shouldn't threaten that streak with opener still 6 weeks away
— David Lombardi (@LombardiHimself) July 29, 2022
A Sacramento native, Armstead is entering year eight with the Bay Area team and is coming off one of his best years in terms of production. In 2021, the DT racked up six sacks, 11 QB hits and 63 combined tackles in all 17 regular season games. Arik also had three sacks in the 49ers’ playoff wins at Dallas and Green Bay last season.
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