The 49ers will be without one of their defensive anchors this weekend, as linebacker Fred Warner has officially been ruled out for Saturday’s divisional round clash with the Seahawks.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed the news Thursday, noting that while Warner has made progress in his recovery from an ankle injury, he won’t be activated in time for the matchup. San Francisco opened Warner’s 21-day practice window earlier this week, a sign they were hopeful he might be ready. But despite limited work on the field, the All-Pro linebacker just isn’t quite there yet.
Shanahan did offer a silver lining: Warner looked good in the reps he did get, and if the 49ers take care of business against Seattle and move on to the NFC Championship Game, there’s optimism he’ll be back in the lineup next week. That would be a major boost for a defense that leans heavily on Warner’s sideline-to-sideline range and leadership.
The injury report doesn’t stop there. Starting safety Ji’Ayir Brown is also out with a hamstring issue, thinning San Francisco’s secondary at a critical time. Brown has been a key piece on the back end, so his absence will force the Niners to dig deeper into their depth chart against a Seahawks offense that can stretch the field.
As for the rest of the roster, there are a handful of names to watch heading into the weekend. Rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee), linebackers Dee Winters (ankle) and Luke Gifford (quad), and wideout Jacob Cowing (hamstring) are all listed as questionable. Each brings value on special teams or rotational snaps, and their availability could impact how the 49ers manage personnel throughout the game.
Bottom line: San Francisco’s defense will be tested without two key starters, but this is a unit that’s shown resilience all season. With the stakes raised and a trip to the NFC title game on the line, the next-man-up mentality will be more important than ever.