D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports
What's the plan for Saturday when the San Francisco 49ers open their preseason by hosting the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi's Stadium? First, quarterback
Jimmy Garoppolo and the starters will get a series, Kyle Shanahan revealed yesterday. The coach hopes that series isn't a three-and-out.
Regardless, the starters won't be out there very long, so don't get to the stadium late if you plan to attend.
"On offense, you hope you can go down and score in six plays or something like that and get those guys out," Shanahan said
during a KNBR interview.
"I'm not playing every starter, but there's some starters I want to keep out for health reasons and things like that. But most of our guys, I plan on playing, and we'll get them out quickly."
After that, fans will get their first real look at rookie quarterback
Trey Lance, who will work with the second-team unit. And they'll get a good look too. Lance is expected to play the remainder of the first half.
"Hopefully, he gets around 30 (snaps) or something, but you never know how that will go,"
Shanahan told reporters. "If he didn't get enough plays, then I would start him probably the first series of [the third quarter]."
For Lance, it will be his first time playing in front of fans in a while.
"I haven't played in front of fans, obviously, since the National Championship in [January of 2020], so that was [almost] two years ago,"
Lance said this week. "So, I'm very excited to have another opportunity to be in a game."
The list of players who will not play on Saturday features pass rushers
Nick Bosa and
Dee Ford. Shanahan notes that Bosa is healthy, but the team is being smart with its valuable defensive end. As a precaution, he hasn't even participated in team drills yet and may not do so until the week leading to the final preseason game, at the earliest.
"I'm not going to put an exact date on it, but it will hopefully be around the Oakland week, and things like that, and give him a chance to get a week of practice," Shanahan said. "We'll have a week off. Then we'll have a week to prepare for Detroit."
If Shanahan isn't willing to let Bosa participate during team drills in practice, it's a safe bet he won't throw him into a preseason game just yet.
Ford has participated in team drills. Although, his rep count has been limited. As with Bosa, the 49ers are being cautious while trying to make sure they have Ford for the whole season, not just Week 1.
"He's looking great right now," Shanahan said, "and we've just got to find that balance with keeping his back and everything feeling good, keeping his explosiveness going, protecting him that way, but also making sure he's ready for Week 1."
Shanahan also confirmed that wide receiver Jalen Hurd won't play on Saturday. That's unfortunate, considering Thursday's practice was his best yet. Hurd is very much on the roster bubble and needs to make the most of his limited remaining opportunities.
Several 49ers players missed Thursday's practice and could be among those who will not play against the Chiefs. Safety Tony Jefferson (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve.
Linebacker
Azeez Al-Shaair (knee), and defensive ends
Samson Ebukam (leg) and
Arden Key (quad) were held out. Although, Shanahan said Key nearly practiced, and the injury wasn't serious. That doesn't mean he will play in a meaningless preseason game, though. Tight end MyCole Pruitt (calf) remains out and is unlikely to get into the game.
Cornerback
K'Waun Williams was the victim of some friendly fire during practice this week. Linebacker
Dre Greenlaw ran into him, and the cornerback is dealing with a sore hip.
"I think he could have gone [in practice on Thursday] if it was a game or something like that," Shanahan shared, "but nothing to be worried about. [He's] day-to-day."
While Williams might have been good to go had there been a game, that may not include a preseason game. So, the cornerback's status is something worth keeping an eye on.
Related News
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan spoke with reporters before Wednesday's practice. The team expects to activate veteran pass rusher Dee Ford and linebacker Dre Greenlaw from injured reserve this week and have both play against the Minnesota Vikings.
"Dee Ford, we should activate tomorrow," Shanahan said. "We're not going to practice him today. We don't like him to go three days, so he'll get out there tomorrow, and hopefully, be good to go for Sunday."
Ford landed on injured reserve on November 6 due to back issues. Greenlaw has been on injured reserve since September 18 due to a core muscle injury. This week is the linebacker's second of practice since his practice window opened.
"He'll go today, and hopefully, he'll be ready to go this
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw is on track to be activated from injured reserve after having his practice window opened last week. Head coach Kyle Shanahan hopes Greenlaw and defensive end Dee Ford can be activated in time for Sunday's game against the Minnesota Vikings. That's the plan, for now.
Ford did not practice during Wednesday's session but is expected to do so on Thursday. He's been on injured reserve since November 6 due to a back injury. Greenlaw underwent core muscle surgery and has been on injured reserve since September 18.
"Greenlaw did a good job out there today," Shanahan said during KNBR's Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks show. "He'll go meet with the trainers now and tell them how it felt and stuff. Dee, we don't want to put
The San Francisco 49ers announced that they have opened the practice window for defensive end Dee Ford.
Ford has been on injured reserve since November 6 due to a back injury. He is expected to practice with his teammates on Thursday. Head coach Kyle Shanahan hopes to have Ford and linebacker Dre Greenlaw available on Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
"Dee, we don't want to put him [out there] three days in a row, just because of how he's been since he's been here," Shanahan said during a KNBR interview on Wednesday. "So, we're waiting until tomorrow to start to practice him. So, tomorrow's a big practice. I know he's feeling great, from what he said, so
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan had hoped his veteran pass rusher, Dee Ford, would return for this past weekend's game against the Minnesota Vikings. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, and Ford remains on the injured reserve list after the 49ers opened his practice window last week.
Back issues landed Ford landed on injured reserve. On Monday, Shanahan spoke with reporters via a conference call and provided an update on his recovering defender.
"We tried him out last week," Shanahan said. "We hoped to ease him in a little bit and hoped he'd be able to go. He wasn't able to, so we'll try the same plan this week and see if it does better."
In his six game appearances this season, Ford recorded five tackles, two tackles for a loss, three
