San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said he’s “pretty optimistic” about Brandon Aiyuk’s return. The all-pro wide receiver is still working his way back from knee reconstruction. Aiyuk’s ACL and MCL in his right knee were both torn during a non-contact injury in last season’s Week 7 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs. Tony Adams is still on the physically unable to perform list. Shanahan has hopes of getting Aiyuk back just before midseason. He’s looking for an early return in 2024 from injured safety Malik Mustapha and quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who both suffered ACL tears.
His potential return becomes even more crucial as the 49ers crew of wide receivers continues to suffer injuries at an alarming rate. In addition to Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings, Jacob Cowing, and Jordan Watkins sat out of practice on Monday with different illnesses. Watkins is expected to miss around a month of action. MRI confirms anyway that he has a high ankle sprain. To date Jennings has not publicly requested a trade. He’s been battling a lingering calf injury that’s clearly impacting him and his play lately has suffered drastically.
Aiyuk is playing the final season of his two-year, $37 million extension negotiated during the 2024 offseason. His availability will be absolutely critical to the team’s offensive strategy. He’ll only be counting $4.258 million against the salary cap. In addition, more than $8 million in dead money will carry over into 2025 due to continuing void years. The union wants to get the most out of his deep knowledge as they work through this unprecedented injury-based crisis.
Kyle Shanahan commented on the situation, stating, “I kind of view all those guys around the same time.” This comment gives us insight into the coach’s view on the injury recovery timeline for Aiyuk and his teammates who are banged up. The dream here is that they can come back and help out in a big way by the year’s end.
Their injury woes have hit the 49ers’ receiving corps especially hard. He told us Jennings arrived on time to training camp and really jumped into the first four practices. Alas, he had to withdraw due to a calf injury. In fact, he faced the same woes last year in training camp and OTAs. Due to that wear and tear, there were questions about his durability moving forward.
Jacob Cowing pulled his hamstring early in camp, but he’s starting to recover quickly. He’s due back on the practice field Tuesday. On Sunday, he got through his first full workout and clearly impressed Shanahan with what McCaffrey was able to do. “He hit all of the times the team wanted to see from him,” the coach noted.
With the current challenges facing the team, Ricky Pearsall, the 49ers’ top pick in the 2024 draft, stands out as the only healthy wide receiver projected in the team’s top six. Assuming Pearsall stays healthy, there’s little reason to doubt he won’t be ready for Week 1.
With the first game on the horizon, the 49ers are busy making the final touches to their roster. They are working through injury setbacks now to get them ready. Despite the realities that they now face, the coaching staff has been confident that Aiyuk’s return will increase their chances of finding success.
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