The San Francisco 49ers aren't counting on having linebacker Fred Warner back for the postseason if the team makes a deep playoff run. Still, the All-Pro defender is attacking his rehab from the dislocated and fractured right ankle he suffered on October 12 with every intention of returning.
General manager John Lynch spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area's Matt Maiocco this week and revealed that Warner consistently reminds the team he expects to be back.
And the 49ers certainly aren't discouraging him.
"I think it's outside the realm, and I promise you, it's our duty, with a player like Fred, not to ever put himself in harm's way in terms of not being ready," Lynch told Maiocco.
The Athletic's Matt Barrows believes a return is possible if the 49ers advance far enough into the postseason. His estimates give Warner only a 16% chance of suiting up for the Wild-Card round and 44% for the Divisional round. However, he estimates the odds rise significantly to 78% for the NFC Championship Game—and approach "just-try-and-stop-him percent" for the Super Bowl.
"When I spoke to orthopedic surgeons about the timeline, they said 16 weeks was normal for athletes with Warner's injury, but that there were all sorts of variables — good and bad," Matt Barrows wrote. "Warner broke his ankle on October 12, so the wild-card round (Jan. 10-12) would be 13 weeks since the injury."
But is a return realistic?
"Well, medically, no," Lynch admitted. "I mean, the docs say it's probably on the wrong side of the range that they would suggest. But even the docs with Fred say, 'You know what, let him rehab as if he's coming back for something and we'll see where he's at.'"
Lynch emphasized that the 49ers will continue to follow the medical team's guidance regarding Warner's timeline.
"They'll control this, but Fred is going to push the limits, and he is doing everything possible," Lynch said. "He lives in a hyperbaric chamber [for] two, three hours a day. He's here all the time. He's unbelievable, this guy. It's what made him who he is."