49ers training camp: Jimmy Garoppolo picked, other key notes
By Peter Panacy
49ers training camp: Azeez Al-Shaair suffers knee injury
Nowhere near as interesting as the No. 3 wide receiver battle, the camp competition to determine the No. 3 linebacker behind Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw should receive a good deal of attention.
Despite numerous moves by the Niners to reinforce this position during the offseason, it was appearing as if third-year pro Azeez Al-Shaair was taking command of this spot on the depth chart.
Only to suffer an apparent non-contact knee injury during red-zone drills, per Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan later told reporters the team’s physicians were “optimistic” it was only a minor setback, so the hope will be for Al-Shaair to return sooner than later.
In the meantime, look for two of San Francisco’s rookie linebackers, Justin Hilliard and Elijah Sullivan, to see an increase in the number of looks during practices. Both are battling for a roster spot and aren’t anywhere close to surviving cuts, so the opportunities could be golden here.