The 49ers’ practice field was already running short on healthy wideouts, and Saturday only made the picture look thinner.
Ricky Pearsall’s season is over because of a lingering PCL injury, and Christian Kirk is dealing with a calf strain. On top of that, rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling was out of practice with hamstring tightness, according to the media on hand.
That’s the kind of issue San Francisco can’t really afford to push. There’s no reason to rush Stribling back if there’s any sign that the hamstring could turn into something worse, and the 49ers will want to make sure he gets all the time he needs to come back at 100%.
The absence opens the door for other receivers to get more work. Jordan Watkins and Jacob Cowing are already part of that conversation, and undrafted rookie Wesley Grimes stands to gain as well. He could be in line to slide into the “F” role as a bigger target, while also lining up as the “Z” opposite Mike Evans.
Grimes had already been viewed as a sleeper to fight for a roster spot and, at minimum, land on the practice squad.
The bad news didn’t stop there. Rookie undrafted free agent pass rusher Mikail Kamara was carted off the practice field with what appeared to be a leg or knee injury, according to The Athletic’s Matt Barrows. The 49ers were already without Cam Sample, who has a knee injury.
Keion White and rookie Romello Height were also practicing, though their statuses weren’t known.
It’s another rough spot for a defensive line group that can’t really spare bodies. Nick Bosa still hasn’t practiced, and Mykel Williams is on the PUP list.
Kamara’s injury is not something to assume the worst about, but his college track record makes any setback worth watching. He missed the 2021 and 2022 seasons with season-ending injuries, and over his six college seasons he dealt with a torn labrum in his shoulder and multiple high-ankle sprains.
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