San Francisco just dropped a bombshell: defensive tackle CJ West is officially on injured reserve after suffering a bone chip in his knee and is headed for surgery. This isn’t just a minor ding either. Head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed it’s not season-ending, but they are only hoping to get him back “sometime” down the road. That’s a huge hit to an already struggling defensive line, and it’s happening right when they can least afford it.
The West Injury Saga Is a Real Head-Scratcher
Listen, everyone saw West look out of shape in training camp, right? He just didn’t have that same power against the run he showed as a rookie, and now we know why. Shanahan revealed West was battling an injury during camp, but he isn’t even sure if this bone chip is the same issue or something entirely new. What we do know is that this latest injury was bothering West “a lot” after the last game. It makes you wonder what was going on, and why this wasn’t sorted out earlier. They really needed him to step up, and now he’s sidelined indefinitely. This whole situation is a massive question mark for their defense.
Defense Depth Just Went From Thin to Non-Existent
This West injury isn’t happening in a vacuum. The 49ers’ defensive tackle depth was already looking thin, and now it’s basically non-existent. They also lost James Thompson Jr. to a high-ankle sprain! So, with both West and Thompson sidelined, defensive coordinator Raheem Morris is gonna be forced to rely on players who weren’t even on the roster a week ago. Shanahan didn’t mince words about it: “Any time you have five defensive tackles make the team, and you’re down to two of them through two games, that’s always a concern for anybody.” They had to sign Naquan Jones off the Vikings’ practice squad and bring in defensive lineman Viliami Fekhoko Jr., which meant releasing cornerback Jakob Robinson. They are down to just three healthy bodies, and they’ll likely need to elevate another defensive tackle from the practice squad just to have enough guys. Shanahan admitted they’ve “got to see how those guys step it up,” which is code for “we have no idea if these new guys can actually play.”
More Injuries and a New Receiver on the Horizon
The injury report for Wednesday is a whole other mess for San Francisco. Wide receivers Mike Evans (hip) and Demarcus Robinson (ankle) are out, as is James Thompson Jr. (ankle). Edge rusher Romello Height (hand) is questionable, with Shanahan saying there’s an “outside chance he can be available.” Plus, veteran days for Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw, Christian McCaffrey, and Trent Williams mean their top guys aren’t practicing either. On the brighter side, they signed wide receiver Brandin Cooks, but Shanahan said it’s just his first day. There are “no guarantees” when he plays, and it depends on how quickly he learns the offense and looks in practice, with a chance he plays “at some point over the next couple of weeks.” So yeah, another waiting game for a team that really needs healthy bodies on the field.
What a nightmare for San Francisco. They are scrambling to fill massive holes on the defensive line, relying on practice squad guys right out of the gate. Raheem Morris has a huge challenge ahead. It’s gonna be a true test of their “next man up” mentality, and we’ll all be watching to see who can even suit up next.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Niners Nation.
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