For the second year in a row, the San Francisco 49ers are dealing with multiple injuries to key players. On Sunday against the New Orleans Saints, tight end George Kittle and quarterback Brock Purdy were out of action due to hamstring and toe injuries, respectively.
The Niners were able to defeat the Saints, 26-21, behind a nice outing from QB2 Mac Jones to improve to 2-0 on the new season. Afterward, head coach Kyle Shanahan made a somewhat surprising statement about Purdy.
He said “there’s a chance” that Purdy returns in Week 3 when San Francisco will host the Arizona Cardinals in its home opener.
“I think there’s a chance,” Shanahan said. “But we got to see how the toe goes. It’s very up to debate. So we’re just taking it a day at a time.”
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Purdy was a bit shaky last week versus the Seattle Seahawks, but he engineered the game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. He finished with 277 passing yards, two touchdown passes and two interceptions.
ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on Sunday morning that the Niners “are not optimistic” that Purdy will be able to play next weekend, but that he has shown improvement.
Ironically, the 49ers were considering taking Jones with the No. 3 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, which they acquired from the Miami Dolphins for three first-round picks. He was ultimately chosen by the New England Patriots, a team he led to the playoffs as a rookie while being named to the Pro Bowl.
His production took a nosedive afterward, and while he completed 26 of 39 pass attempts for 279 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions, he simply isn’t anything more than a stopgap solution.
The injuries are piling up for San Francisco. Kittle, who is arguably the NFL’s best tight end, is expected to be out multiple weeks, and on Sunday, fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who is arguably the best at his position in his own right, suffered a concussion.
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk has been out since suffering a torn ACL and MCL in Week 7 last season. Safety Malik Mustapha, who had a promising rookie campaign last year, is recovering from an ACL injury of his own that he reaggravated in April.
The Niners will host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 4 before taking on the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday, Oct. 2 at SoFi Stadium in Southern California.
