When Mike Evans went down in that Week 3 win against the Arizona Cardinals, the pain on his face looked like something that would keep him out way longer than seven days. But get this, Niners GM John Lynch was on KNBR Thursday morning, and he dropped some serious praise for his star receiver, quoting his old friend Ronde Barber saying about Evans, “That’s a tough SOB. And I think we’ve already seen that with Mike. You know, he is old school in his mindset, and he doesn’t want to miss.” That’s the kind of grit you love to see, even if it’s coming from a rival.
The Ribs Are Barking, And The Receiver Room Is Thin
So, Evans missed Wednesday’s practice with that rib injury, which, let’s be real, is no joke. Still, Lynch isn’t ready to count him out just yet for Sunday’s game. He said they’ll “always do what’s right for our player,” but Evans is “going to make every attempt to try to play.” It’s Thursday, so there are still a couple of days to see if he can push through. But here’s the kicker: Evans isn’t the only wideout banged up. KhaDarel Hodge is a new addition to the injury list with a knee issue and he also missed Wednesday’s session. That new practice squad signing of Dante Pettis suddenly makes a lot more sense, right? This Sunday, facing what’s called their “best secondary to date,” the Niners’ receiver corps could be looking like Deebo Samuel, Jacob Cowing, Jordan Watkins, Brandin Cooks, and Pettis. That’s a lot of pressure on those guys if Evans can’t go.
Nick Bosa’s Calf: Murky Waters Ahead
And it’s not just the offense taking hits. Remember Nick Bosa pulling his calf muscle last week and missing Week 3? They didn’t put him on Injured Reserve, which usually signals it’s a week-to-week thing. But Lynch spilled the beans, saying Bosa “will likely be out this week, and then we’ll go from there.” He’s apparently “doing well” and “working diligently,” but it sounds like we won’t see him back on the field this weekend. Lynch admitted calf injuries can be “murky” and they’re not going to rush him back, saying they “got to make sure he’s right on all counts.” Plus, Romello Height was limited on Wednesday, and Keion White’s hamstring injury could keep him out, though White was at least working on the side, so maybe he contributes in Week 4. That’s a lot of key defensive pieces potentially missing when you need them most.
This Sunday, the Niners are going to be tested big time. With Evans trying to gut it out and Bosa definitely sidelined, they’re walking into a tough matchup against a strong secondary with some serious question marks on both sides of the ball. It’ll be interesting to see how they manage all these injuries against their toughest defensive opponent yet.
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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