San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan remains hopeful that cornerback Deommodore Lenoir will be ready to play on Sunday against the Houston Texans. Lenoir missed his second straight practice with a quadricep injury, raising concerns about his availability for Week 8.
The 49ers' secondary is already thin, having played without Upton Stout in last week's win over the Atlanta Falcons. Losing Lenoir would be another challenge for a defense that has been instrumental in keeping San Francisco atop the NFC West, starting the season with a 5-2 record.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan sounds optimistic it won't come to that. He joined Bay Area radio station KNBR on Thursday and was asked if Lenoir might miss this weekend's game.
"There's always a chance," Shanahan admitted, "but we feel pretty optimistic he'll be alright. Just dealing with a thigh bruise here, which takes some time. We thought he'd be alright today, but it was still a little stiff on him. But hopefully, he'll be good for Sunday."
Brock Purdy injury update
As for the 49ers' quarterback situation, all signs point to Mac Jones making his sixth start of the season. Naturally, Shanahan was asked about his quarterback, Brock Purdy, who continues to work his way back from a toe injury that has sidelined him for five games.
"It's getting better," Shanahan said. "That's all I've got. It is getting better. He's still limited this week."
Shanahan admitted that his brief responses about Purdy's recovery might be frustrating to those curious about the quarterback's timeline, but he emphasized there's not much more to report.
"It's tough because I get asked all the time, so the shorter I get, it sounds like I'm being a jerk," Shanahan explained. "But I really have nothing else to say. He's just getting better."
The 49ers are aiming for their sixth win of the season and hope to strengthen their grip on the NFC West as they continue their push toward a postseason return after missing the playoffs last year. A victory over the Texans would further solidify San Francisco's standings in the NFC.