Kyle Shanahan: Hargrave, Ward have a chance to play Week 15 in Arizona

Dec 11, 2023, 4:05 PM | Updated: 8:16 pm

Kyle Shanahan; Charvarius Ward #7 of the San Francisco 49ers looks on prior to the game against the...

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San Francisco 49ers Beat Writer

The San Francisco 49ers appear to have caught another break following Week 14’s win, with Kyle Shanahan delivering good news on the injury front.

The 49ers coach revealed that defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and cornerback Charvarius Ward have a chance to play Week 15 against the Arizona Cardinals, but will need to practice by the end of the week. The former suffered a hamstring injury in the third quarter Sunday and was unable to return. Meanwhile, the latter suffered a groin strain on the opening drive in Week 14.

While both men face an uphill battle to play in Arizona, the indication is that both ailments are not considered long-term.

49ers injury updates:
* LB Oren Burks (knee) A couple of weeks
* DT Arik Armstead (foot/ankle) Might miss one more game
* CB Charvarius Ward (groin) May have chance to play SUN
* DT Javon Hargrave (hamstring) May have chance to play SUN
* LB Dre Greenlaw (hip/ankle) Day to day

— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) December 11, 2023

Additionally, DT Arik Armstead is in the “same boat” as his teammates, but will likely miss his second consecutive game of the season. The Sacramento native has been dealing with foot and ankle injuries for a few weeks, unable to practice and play leading up to Week 14.

Kyle Shanahan also revealed that they expect right guard Spencer Burford, CB Darrell Luter Jr. and running back Elijah Mitchell to all return to practice this week. All three men missed the clash with the Seattle Seahawks due to various injuries.

Not all injury news was good for the 49ers though, as linebacker Oren Burks has knee tendinitis. The nagging injury will likely put the backup LB on the shelf for a few weeks.

Jason Verrett Makes it Official

The 49ers officially signed CB Jason Verrett to the team’s practice squad Monday.

The move comes after he worked out with the team on Nov. 16th, with a long waiting game following suit. But after many discussions, the Fairfield native has agreed to return to the Red & Gold, hoping to suit up on game day in the coming weeks.

“Just coming in and being on the practice squad, showing us where he’s at, being a part of our team that way. When you’re on the practice squad, it’s only a couple plays away from possibly being a starter [or] just being out there on game day. So, he can try to show us he’s ready for that moment and hopefully give us some some depth there,” Kyle Shanahan said Monday about Verrett, via conference call.

Lenoir 🤝 Verrett pic.twitter.com/D0ifhyyR40

— 49ers on NBCS (@NBCS49ers) December 11, 2023

Jason Verrett, 32, was on the 49ers’ roster last season, working his way back from an ACL tear sustained in Week 1 of the 2021 season. Getting ready to make his return to action, the veteran unfortunately tore his Achilles during a November practice session with the Red & Gold in 2022, putting him on the shelf once more. Now a year removed from his second serious injury in two seasons, the Fairfield native will attempt to restart his football career after more than 24 months away from gameday.

The former Pro Bowl CB has a storied career in the NFL, drafted in 2014 by the San Diego Chargers. Verrett has played in 40 contests in his career, racking up seven interceptions and 145 combined tackles. Sadly, his career has been barred by injuries, only playing in 20 games since 2016.