Almost as if on queue, the San Francisco 49ers' training camp injury report is beginning to multiply with only the first two weeks of practices wrapping up. And while jokes about the electrical substation nearby will rise again, the hard reality of players missing time in advance of the preseason is one Niners fans can't ignore.
At one point, San Francisco was without 20 players from its 90-man camp roster—a painful reality even the most optimistic of fans can't ignore.
Assistant head coach Chris Foerster might be trying to convince the rest of the pessimistic fans and analysts otherwise, though.
Still filling in for head coach Kyle Shanahan, who continues to recover from a July auto accident, Foerster spoke to the media about the injuries and presented an opinion that seems to fly in complete contrast to what all the other reports and lists state.
His opinion? The 49ers are in good shape.
49ers are 'very healthy,' according to Chris Foerster
The practice after being without 20 players on the field, the assistant coach told reporters he didn't feel injuries were as a big a problem as they're being presented:
It seems like we’re very healthy. I mean, we have injuries. We have dings and bumps and bruises, and guys are missing practices. It’s yet to come up in anything I’ve heard. ... If you’re not practicing football hard, you can get through camp easily without injuries, a couple muscles here and there. But if you’re practicing hitting, contact, style of football, whatever it is.
Interesting.
If one is to give Foerster the benefit of the doubt, perhaps the lengthy list of injuries might just be a way for the Niners to exercise some caution ahead of a long and grueling season—kicking off Week 1 with a showdown in Melbourne, Australia, doesn't aid matters here.
For example, wide receiver Mike Evans has missed practice with a quad strain, but it's reported to be very minor, and his absence from activities has been viewed as precautionary.
With a veteran roster, that might make sense. But when younger players like offensive lineman Carver Willis (concussion), wide receiver De’Zhaun Stribling (hamstring), running back Kaelon Black (adductor) and others being out, too, the notion of exercising caution doesn't exactly make sense.
Foerster could be following the company line here, downplaying the injury news instead of admitting the problem. The latter would certainly be viewed as a sign of concern, which isn't exactly how San Francisco would want to enter such a crucial campaign.
Either way, it must be hard for both fans and analysts to look at what the assistant coach said and subscribe to it.
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