2 min read • August 14, 2021
Posted in
San Francisco 49ers
QB Jimmy Garoppolo -
The 49ers quarterback suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 2 and left at halftime. Garoppolo returned Week 5, which was perhaps too soon and he exited the field yet again. Come Week 8, Garoppolo went down again and never played another game during the 2020 season. The QB's health is not the issue as his ankle will be fine. He did come back from a previous ACL tear in 2018. The issue is that Garoppolo fell out of favor and the team was ”hiding behind health” as we indicated and foreshadowed before the trade up to the #3 spot to draft a QB. Garoppolo finished the year with 1,096 passing yards, seven passing touchdowns and five interceptions in six games. This is make or break time for Garoppolo in San Francisco.
RB Raheem Mostert -
Mostert made just eight starts for the 49ers as he dealt with injuries throughout the season. He left two games early and dealt with a nagging ankle injury and MCL sprain, which resulted in two IR visits. Mostert finished last season with 521 yards and two touchdowns in eight games. He has a huge opportunity to be the lead back again in 2021 although the 49ers invested draft capital in third round pick Trey Sermon. He starts this season healthy with no residual issues.
RB Jeff Wilson Jr. -
The San Francisco 49ers running back recently underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus. There is a big difference between a repair (sutures) and a meniscectomy (trim), which leads us to believe that his recovery will severely affect his 2021 season. He will miss at least half of this season and this injury could end up costing Wilson the entire season. The recovery timeline is four to six months, meaning most should avoid him come draft season and instead focus on Trey Sermon or Wayne Gallman. Both backs now have less competition for carries behind lead back Raheem Mostert.
WR Deebo Samuel -
The speedy wideout suffered a Jones fracture in his foot early last offseason and started the 2020 year on IR, missing the first three games. When he returned, he dealt with two hamstring strains that bothered him for the majority of the season. He missed a total of six games due to hamstring issues and nine games altogether. The 25-year-old out of South Carolina finished last year with 33 catches for 391 yards and a touchdown in seven games. Samuel enters the 2021 season healthy and is gearing up to improve on a disappointing 2020 season.
WR Jalen Hurd -
The wideout has yet to debut in the regular season as he has suffered two season-ending injuries to start his career. In 2020, he dealt with a stress fracture in his back that cost him the entire season. In 2019, he suffered a torn ACL that cost him his rookie season. With the injuries now behind him, the real challenge will be finding a path to playing time in the 49ers' stacked offense.
Jalen Hurd Update 08/20
Hurd’s career has hit another bump. And this one, although the injury is mild, could be costly. He has been missing some practice time with knee tendinitis. In and of itself, tendinitis is not a significant injury, but it can be nagging and recurrent. Given that he missed his first two seasons due to injury, this year seems to be make or break and missing practice time with a potentially recurrent nagging injury does not bode well for his future with the 49ers.
TE George Kittle -
The sensational former Iowa tight end had a rough 2020 campaign, losing time to knee and foot injuries. Kittle missed two of the first three weeks with a knee injury, then suffered a cuboid fracture in Week 8 against Seattle. He was placed on IR and missed six weeks with the injury. This was actually good news since it was not a classic Jones fifth metatarsal fracture and did not need surgery. He returned to play the final two games of the season, finishing last year with 48 catches for 634 yards and two touchdowns. The 27-year-old had finished each of the previous two years with at least 1,000 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns before last season. With the injuries behind him, Kittle should be ready to return to his former Pro Bowl self.
OL Trent Williams -
The stud offensive lineman was placed on IR with an elbow issue that caused him to miss the final game of the season. However, the injury is well behind him and the 49ers showed no hesitation in signing the 8-time Pro Bowler to a 6-year, $138.06 million deal this offseason. He enters the 2021 season healthy.
DE Nick Bosa -
The star pass rusher for the 49ers is making his way back from an ACL tear he suffered in Week 2 last season. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan says he's doing well and is on track to play Week 1, which has been the plan all along. This is certainly good news, but being cleared to play and playing does not necessarily mean he is 100% healthy. Bosa is extremely talented but expect him to get stronger as the season goes. The 49ers may use him on a certain side or situation, while the knee rounds into full form. The third-year defensive end will look to expand on his Rookie of the Year campaign in 2019, when he recorded nine sacks, 47 combined tackles and 16 tackles for a loss.
DE Dee Ford -
The edge rusher dealt with back/neck issues that cost him 15 games last season. Head Coach Kyle Shanahan recently said Ford has dealt with chronic knee and back issues his entire career. It seems like the knee and/or back issue are destined to flare up again this season. Ford last played a full season in 2018 with the Kansas City Chiefs, recording 13 sacks and seven forced fumbles.
S Jaquiski Tartt -
Tartt is not expected back soon, according to Head Coach Kyle Shanahan. The 29-year-old strong safety started training camp with a toe injury that landed him on the PUP list.. It is the same toe injury from last season that caused him to miss the final seven games. Tartt will likely start the season on the PUP list as well. The 49ers defense will surely miss his production, as he finished last season with 30 combined tackles in just seven games.
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