Ahkello Witherspoon has avoided a major knee injury. Witherspoon, who was hurt in the first quarter of San Francisco’s 26-23 win over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, suffered a sprained PCL, the 49ers confirmed Monday morning. He will likely sit for the remaining two games of the 2018 season.
This is positive news for the 49ers, considering the initial scare. On San Francisco’s first defensive drive of the game, Witherspoon injured his right knee and sprawled on the ground for several minutes. Members of the training staff slowly escorted him off the field and into the 49ers locker room. Rookie Tarvarius Moore replaced Witherspoon and ended the game well after a rough start.
The 49ers had high hopes Witherspoon would develop into a lockdown cornerback this year. They got a mixed bag. His season started poorly, as he battled nagging injuries and consistently allowed touchdowns throughout the first half of the year. In the latter half of the season, however, Witherspoon played much better and was targeted less frequently.
With the second-year cornerback likely out for the remainder of the season, Moore will have the opportunity to show what he can do in his first extended defensive reps. If he plays well, Moore and Witherspoon figure to compete for the starting right cornerback spot opposite Richard Sherman in the 2019 season.