Mike Evans leaving Tuesday’s joint practice with the Chargers early, his ankle and then quad wrapped in ice, is the kind of early season drama no team wants, especially for a key offensive weapon. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan quickly spun it, saying Evans just had “some tightness” and the team was “being smart” by pulling him. But you gotta wonder, right? First the ankle, then the quad? That’s not just a minor tweak for a guy they admit is “important” for their offense. We’ll see if Evans suits up for Thursday’s game, but an early exit like that for a veteran just smells like more than “tightness.”
McCaffrey’s Absence Clarified, But Bosa Still Lingering
Speaking of key players, Christian McCaffrey has been out of practice, sparking rumors of a contract dispute. Shanahan shot that down hard, straight-up saying assumptions about a dispute are “wrong.” He added that McCaffrey would’ve practiced if it were a game week, which is a relief for Niners fans hoping to avoid off-field drama. Both McCaffrey and Nick Bosa, who Shanahan says is making “a lot of progress” with “less irritation and soreness” than last week, could be back as soon as Saturday’s practice. Good news for them, but Bosa’s issues were clearly bugging him enough to be sidelined, and McCaffrey still missed time, no matter the reason.
Injury Roulette Continues For Key Roster Spots
Beyond Evans, McCaffrey, and Bosa, the Niners are navigating a mini-minefield of early season injuries. DeMarcus Robinson, Kaelon Black, and Keion White all returned to practice, which is a start. But White, despite being fully padded, didn’t even participate in team drills and ditched his pads after an hour. What’s up with that? Mykel Williams is apparently a “long shot” for Week 1, though not completely out of the picture, and Christian Kirk is still struggling with the “unfortunate” injury he picked up back in OTAs. Shanahan even admitted if Kirk isn’t healthy by the season start, there “won’t be any decisions to be made about his roster spot,” which sounds pretty definitive. And just to cap it off, Renardo Green got caught by “friendly fire” from Fred Warner in the end zone and had to leave practice too.
The Niners are looking to play several starters, including a “good chance” Brock Purdy suits up, against the Chargers on Thursday. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is also planning to play his starters. This Thursday matchup is huge for both sides to get some reps and iron out these kinks, but for the Niners, it’s also about staying healthy. With so many key guys dealing with issues, they need to make it through without any more scares.
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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