One more game. One more game and the 49ers can fully shift their focus to the playoffs.
It doesn’t exactly line up to be a stellar contest. Given that the already hapless Arizona Cardinals have already ruled a number of key players out, and the 49ers had a couple players on the mend, there was an opportunity to rest some players.
While Kyle Shanahan has expressed a belief that it’s counterintuitive to completely rest a team going into the playoffs, he’s said the team will try to strike a balance and will probably do so with anyone on the fringe, like Christian McCaffrey.
That was the case for Dre Greenlaw, who Shanahan said possibly could have played this week if it was a playoff game. It wasn’t an absolute confirmation, but he said it would have been a possibility if he was pushed “harder earlier in the week.” That, obviously, was not necessary or prudent in the regular season finale.
San Francisco’s game status report is below:
OUT
- OL Aaron Banks (ankle, knee)
- QB Jimmy Garoppolo (foot)
- DL Kevin Givens (knee)
- LB Dre Greenlaw (back)
- CB Ambry Thomas (ankle)
Questionable:
- DL Arik Armstead (illness, foot, ankle)
- DT Javon Kinlaw (illness, knee)
Arizona, meanwhile, is on its fourth starting quarterback of the season and will not have Deandre Hopkins in what will be J.J. Watt’s final game.
Below is the Cardinals’ lengthy game status report:
OUT:
- DE Zach Allen (hand)
- WR Robby Anderson (back)
- LB Zaven Collins (calf)
- RB James Conner (knee, shin)
- CB Antonio Hamilton (hip)
- WR DeAndre Hopkins (knee)
- QB Colt McCoy (concussion)
- CB Marco Wilson (neck)
Questionable:
- LB Victor Dimukeje (illness)
- DT Leki Fotu (shoulder)
- CB Josh Jackson (hamstring)
- LB Tanner Vallejo (knee, wrist)
The Cardinals would benefit in the draft from a loss, and have nothing to play for except a win in Watt’s final game and personal pride, if you put much stake in that.
Speaking of Watt, the 49ers employed rookie defensive tackle Kalia Davis as the Watt imitator on practice squad this week.
Davis was named a scout team player of the week. He is currently in the middle of his 21-day return window from the Non-Football Injury List, but Kyle Shanahan said Friday he’s not expected to make his NFL debut this season.
“I think that we’d have to have some injuries,” Shanahan said. “It wasn’t something we were thinking about. We just wanted to get his practice window back and he’s definitely looked good enough and good enough to go to where if there were some injuries, he was definitely option for us. But it’s been good to see him these few weeks. He’s gotten better each week. And this week, he had the role of playing J.J. [Watt]. So he’s got to do a bunch of stuff like J.J. and he did a hell of a job doing it.”
While Davis won’t come off the list, barring injury, Jimmy Garoppolo could.
That’s not at all an indication it’s more likely than before. Shanahan said nothing has changed and that Garoppolo could still return late in the playoffs, potentially by the NFC Championship game. It’s still not an exceedingly likely proposition, but the chance remains.
“That’s still the goal,” Shanahan said. “I think he can put a little weight on it, but he’s not out there running and stuff like that. So it’s a little bit aways.”
Shanahan also discussed the other injured quarterback on the 49ers’ roster, Trey Lance, for the first time following a second ankle surgery.
Lance had a piece of hardware in his ankle removed that was causing him discomfort. It’s a relatively common procedure, by most accounts. More details and data are available here, but Shanahan confirmed that there’s no long-term concern of potential ill-affects from the second surgery, and the team was warned a second procedure might be required.
“It hasn’t been a surprise for us,” Shanahan said. “We’ve known that for a little bit. We knew there was a high chance of that happening.”
He indicated Lance has handled the rehab well, but was obviously disappointed to need to go under the knife a second time.
“Trey’s been great. Trey’s handled a great as good as any injured player I’ve ever been around,” Shanahan said. “I mean, just he stays positive. He comes off the right way, but I know it’s a challenge for him having to get the new surgery… But I think that even made him feel better.”
Lance is expected to be ready for OTAs this spring, with Shanahan saying he’s back to where he was in his rehab before the second surgery.