49ers injury news: Drake Jackson suffered shoulder stinger

The 49ers may have dodged a massive scare with rookie pass-rusher Drake Jackson injuring his shoulder, but Kyle Shanahan says it’s not a severe injury.

The San Francisco 49ers collectively held their breath halfway through the second quarter of Friday night’s preseason bout at Levi’s Stadium against the Green Bay Packers when rookie EDGE Drake Jackson went down with what looked to be a concerning shoulder injury.

Jackson, who had been a massive defensive force over the first quarter-plus, walked into the blue medical tent after landing awkwardly on his shoulder.

Then, he was observed walking into the Niners locker room in some clear pain and discomfort.

San Francisco’s top pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, selected late in Round 2 with the 49ers not having a first-round pick, is expected to be a top pass-rusher to pair with Pro Bowl EDGE Nick Bosa this season, but an injury would certainly be disastrous.

Fortunately, at least according to head coach Kyle Shanahan, the Niners may have dodged a bullet with Jackson.

49ers believe Drake Jackson injury isn’t serious

As the Niners were en route to a 28-21 exhibition victory over Green Bay, fans were understandably concerned about Jackson’s status. All the fanbase needed to do was recall how Bosa was lost for the year early during the 2020 season, which led to one of the worst injury-plagued campaigns in NFL history.

Fortunately, Shanahan delivered what should be some positive news regarding the rookie pass-rusher’s status, telling reporters after the game it was believed Jackson merely suffered a shoulder stinger.

Additionally, checking with another source, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler corroborated Shanahan’s statement:

Related Story: Keep an eye on 49ers rookie Drake Jackson this preseason

That’s fortunate, although further evaluation will help determine if there’s any more severity to the injury.

Jackson was a wrecking ball in his first-ever NFL game, regularly pressuring Packers quarterback Jordan Love. And while Jackson didn’t record a sack or tackle for a loss, he was responsible for tipping a pass off Love’s hand that fell incomplete, notching a pass defended as a result.

It might be wise for San Francisco to rest its top selection from this year’s draft, namely with joint practices with the Minnesota Vikings this upcoming week.