Kyle Shanahan discusses injuries, Dee Ford, Florida stay as 49ers-Saints approaches

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters from the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, after Friday's practice as the team prepares for its Week 14 matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Here is everything he had to say.

Transcript provided by the San Francisco 49ers Communications staff.

Opening comments:

"Injuries for today: questionable, we've got [WR Marquise] Goodwin with a knee and toe, we've got [WR Dante] Pettis with his knee, [T Joe] Staley with his finger, [S Jaquiski] Tartt will be out and [DL] Jullian Taylor will be out."

Is Goodwin new?

"He's had some wear and tear, some chronic stuff and then it just flamed up enough that we had to list it today, so when we do that, it's questionable."

Would you just go with four wideouts if both Pettis and Goodwin can't go?

"Yeah, we'd have to. Yep."

How did Pettis look today?

"We mainly just did walk-through today, so he was able to go through walk-through, so that was good. It gives him a chance to hopefully be able to go next week."

Is DL Dee Ford a go, you think?

"Yeah, Ford's a go."

I heard you said he was close last week?

"He was very close. Probably, if it was the last game of the year, he would've gone. With the hamstring, if you tweak that, it's another month, so he should be good to go on Sunday."

Is it S Marcell Harris in for Tartt at that spot or is it a question mark?

"Yeah, it is Marcell. I was trying to keep it a secret, but yeah, Marcell's going."

What did QB Nick Mullens do to earn the look team player of the week?

"He gives us a good look every week, tries to take it seriously in helping himself get better, but he also tries to emulate the other team's quarterback. Him and [QB] C.J. [Beathard] both do that. We gave it to Nick because he's more his stature and body size and stuff. He works hard every week. He earned it this week."

Dee has said he's kind of become a third-down specialist, I assume partly because of his knee situation. He's indicated that the knee is the way the knee is until you get to the offseason. Is that kind of accurate?

"In talking to him, that's what it sounds like. I know he went into this year with some of it. He's battled it before. Once it gets to this point, the more we can take care of him, the better it'll help him for the long run. Yeah, it's probably not going to totally come down until the offseason. The good thing about it is we've got some depth there, so we've been in some fortunate situations where we can only use him on third down or some pass situations. But, he's capable of doing more. We're in a good situation where we have some other guys who can do that job also."

Why sit out DL Arik Armstead yesterday? Was he sort of dragging after the Ravens game?

"No, he had played so much in the last game, I think he had the most plays of any player that we've had. He's had an unbelievable year and wanted to rest him a little bit."

Just in terms of energy, we asked you this on Wednesday, but it seemed like that energy that you had then has carried through the last two days. Are you impressed being on the second leg of a two-game road trip?

"Yeah, and I think it's that time of year where every week's kind of the same. To change it up a little bit, I think guys enjoy it, especially when you're in a good place like this where the facilities were great, our hotel was great and Florida weather in December is pretty nice also."

Given where you are in the season, is this the best time to maybe have this opportunity to have the team together for an extended period of time?

"Yeah, I think so. It worked out well at the beginning of the year and it worked out well this week. But, like kind of what I just said, anytime you can break up the schedule a little bit, it gives guys a little bit of energy and as long as it's a good situation, which it has been here with the way they've taken care of us and everything, I think it was perfect."

You eager to get home?

"I'm always eager to get home, but more eager for Sunday and then after that, hopefully it'll be a fun, fast flight."