San Francisco 49ers: How secondary responds to Richard Sherman injury

San Francisco 49ers cornerback Richard Sherman suffered a mild calf strain and is expected to be out a few weeks, per a report. How does it impact the Niners secondary?

Injuries have already been a major theme for the San Francisco 49ers this early into 2018, namely torn ACLs for running back Jerick McKinnon and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

And while the majority of focus fell on Garoppolo’s setback after the Niners’ 38-27 Week 3 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, cornerback Richard Sherman also exited the game with what was eventually diagnosed as a calf injury.

Sherman was seen in a walking boot following the game. And as NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport told KNBR 680’s Murph and Mac Show Monday morning, the three-time first-team All-Pro was in a considerable amount of pain following the contest.

Later, Rapoport reported some good news regarding Sherman’s injury, however:

Sherman’s calf injury doesn’t appear to be serious. It’s not a knee injury and appears to be unrelated to the 2017 Achilles injury he suffered with the Seattle Seahawks last season.

That said, the Niners defense will have to adjust to yet another setback within its secondary.

San Francisco’s defensive backs have already gone through a great deal of attrition to start the season. No. 2 cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon has been hobbled with an ankle injury, while safety Jaquiski Tartt missed Week 3 with a shoulder stinger. Free safety Adrian Colbert suffered a knee injury during the game as well.

Sherman has easily been the Niners’ best defensive back over the course of these first three weeks. But with the 49ers’ playoff hopes all but dashed in the wake of Garoppolo’s injury, Sherman’s absence opens up the opportunity for other players to garner valuable experience and playing time in Weeks 4 through 6.

It won’t be an easy slate of games. San Francisco travels to Los Angeles to take on quarterback Philip Rivers and the always-potent Chargers offense in Week 4, which will be followed by having to take on wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald and the winless Arizona Cardinals the following week.

Then there’s a Monday Night Football matchup looming in Green Bay against quarterback Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.

Challenges, for sure. But with a predominantly young secondary looking for maturation, it’s valuable experience.

Witherspoon, who needs to get his confidence back after sub-par performances early this season, should be expected to see a lot of the field. There’s no harm in starting him unless he completely implodes on the field. Likewise, there’s nothing to lose by inserting rookie defensive back Tarvarius Moore into a boundary role this season — primarily aimed at seeing whether he can use his exceptional speed to showcase his transition from safety to cornerback.

One should also expect to see a bit more out of the other rookie, D.J. Reed, in both nickel and safety duties over the next few weeks.

The scenario would be vastly different had Garoppolo not suffered his season-ending injury. San Francisco would still be eyeing a possible playoff berth, meaning the best grouping of players would occupy the secondary.

Now, however, the theme for the 49ers in 2018 is about getting these younger players experience with the hopes of some of them developing into legitimate starting-caliber contributors in coming years.

Take the silver lining for what it is, folks.