Kyle Shanahan Hopeful To Have Key DBs Back At Practice After Week 4

Sunday night in Denver was one to forget for the 49ers on multiple fronts.

First, the team’s 11-10 loss to the Broncos was sealed thanks to a safety by quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who dropped out of the end zone in the third quarter. The offense went on to flatline in the fourth, ending Sunday with two turnovers to ice the win for the Broncos.

Second, the 49ers lost Trent Williams, too. The 34-year-old All-Pro left tackle left Sunday’s contest after Broncos DT D.J. Jones fell into his right ankle at the goalline, sending him to the ground in a heap of pain. The cart was initially brought out but Williams limped to the tunnel under his own power.

#49ers star left tackle Trent Williams has not returned after suffering a right ankle sprain on this play

Details and return timeline⏩https://t.co/2ItpRBKzcJ pic.twitter.com/Esp428OQ1y

— Sports Injury Central (@SICscore) September 26, 2022

Head coach Kyle Shanahan described the injury postgame as a high ankle sprain, confirming the news Monday that the left tackle will miss over a month of the regular season.

“The swelling’s pretty bad, so high-ankles are usually, just for everyone, they say four-to-six [weeks], but sometimes it can be sooner and sometimes it can be longer. So that’s why I didn’t give an exact date, too early to tell,” Shanahan said.

Additionally, linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair left Sunday night’s contest with a knee injury and did not return. The head coach confirmed to the media that Al-Shaair suffered a sprained MCL and could be out for eight weeks, as well.

Thankfully some good news is coming as safety Jimmie Ward (hamstring) and cornerback Jason Verrett (ACL) are on track to practice when they come off the IR after Week 4.

S Jimmie Ward and CB Jason Verrett are eligible to join practice again after the #49ers Week 4 game. Both have a good chance to do that.

— Jennifer Lee Chan (@jenniferleechan) September 26, 2022

“After this week [Ward and Verrett] can come back and start practicing and it’s looking like they’ll have a chance to come back and start practicing,” Kyle Shanahan said. “We don’t have to play them that week when they do and we got three weeks to make that decision, but hopefully they’ll be able to practice next week.”

Ward has been on ice since sustaining the injury during the first preseason game against the Green Bay Packers, with general manager John Lynch announcing the move to short-term IR two weeks later on Thursday Night Football.

Verrett, 31, has been on the injury report since tearing his ACL during Week 1 of the 2021 season. A defensive back plagued with injuries, the former Charger has only played in 20 games since the 2015 season. Both players seem on track to play before the team’s Week 9 bye, shoring up an already elite defensive unit.

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