Offensive lineman Colton McKivitz said he was just unlucky in the days leading to the San Francisco 49ers' Week 3 contest against the Denver Broncos. On that Wednesday, the first practice of the week, his foot found a hole on the practice field, and he rolled his ankle, leaving him "questionable" for the game.
McKivitz was called to action after Trent Williams left the game with a high-ankle sprain. The veteran offensive lineman is expected to miss at least a month, and McKivitz will fill in at left tackle during his absence.
Actually, it was Jaylon Moore who first stepped in for Williams after the in-game injury. That's because McKivitz spent the week dealing with his ankle situation. However, Moore's poor play during his one drive led to a change, and McKivitz stepped in for the remainder of the game.
Before Thursday's practice, McKivitz noted that he is feeling much better now.
"Each day, it's gotten better, so I'm happy about that," McKivitz told reporters (h/t Grant Cohn of SI).
Mike McGlinchey will man the position opposite McKivitz, anchoring the right side of the offensive line. While the impact of losing Williams, a nine-time Pro Bowler, can't be understated, the 49ers have a next-man-up mentality. McGlinchey, a former first-round pick, has faith in McKivitz, a former fifth-rounder.
"His [training] camp was excellent," McGlinchey said of McKivitz. "He got a lot of reps because of my [injury] in camp, and Trent being older, so they rested him a little bit more. So he's ready to go. We'll be fine and just attack each day as [hard as] we can."
Next up for the 49ers is a familiar foe—the Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. San Francisco won six straight against the Rams before last season's defeat in the NFC Championship Game.
McGlinchey has noticed an improvement in McKivitz, not only in his preparation but in his play.
"I think everybody's very excited about Colton," McGlinchey commented. "I think he's a great player. He does a lot of things well, and he's going to do great for us. He's a tough, tough football player, works very hard at it, and he's very, very good. ... [Y]ou can't replace Trent, but he's ready to go, and he's done a great job getting himself in that position over the last year and a half."