San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan provided updates on the team’s injuries following their Week 16 game against the Miami Dolphins.
Left guard Aaron Banks will miss the final two games of the season due to an MCL injury. Similarly, left tackle Jaylon Moore, who has filled in for Trent Williams for over a month, will also be sidelined for the remainder of the season due to a quad injury. Spencer Burford, their potential replacement, is currently day-to-day as the team awaits results from his MRI for a calf injury.
Shanahan did not offer an update on Williams’ status but reiterated what has been apparent since his injury: Williams will not return this season. Shanahan confirmed that Williams’ ankle “hasn’t improved enough for him to return” and that there’s no change expected over the next two weeks, particularly given the team’s current situation.
With several key injuries, the 49ers will need to make roster moves and could potentially shift one of the guards to tackle: “We’ve recently brought in a couple of practice squad players. At this point, when numbers are low, we might have to consider moving a guard.”
Safety Ji’Ayir Brown (ankle) and linebacker Dee Winters (chest) are both day-to-day. Meanwhile, linebacker Dre Greenlaw is unlikely to return after starting the game against the Dolphins but leaving after just four plays due to calf soreness.
Shanahan spoke at length about Greenlaw’s injury, describing his decision to pull him from the game as “inspiring,” considering the adversity Greenlaw has faced: “My gut feeling is that he’ll likely be shut down. I’ll wait to talk to Dre to assess how he’s feeling. That’s a decision I’ll leave up to him based on his health.”
Teammates, especially Fred Warner, have spoken out about protecting Greenlaw from himself. Shanahan mentioned that Greenlaw was “pretty emotional” when he was told he couldn’t return to the game after the first series.
Shanahan shared his thoughts on balancing Greenlaw’s desire to play with his long-term well-being: “It’s what we did on play 4. Dre’s heart and passion want to be out there. He said he’d be good next week, but we won’t risk it at the expense of next season. Dre understands.”
Running back Isaac Guerendo is expected to return to practice after Christmas. While still day-to-day, Shanahan indicated that Guerendo is “trending in the right direction.”
