The 49ers were bit by the injury bug as of late, but many of those players are poised to return for the playoffs after the Wild Card round.
For the most part, the San Francisco 49ers have been relatively lucky in terms of serious injuries over the course of 2023. Anyone who recalls the Niners' injury-plagued 2020 campaign can use that as a worst-case scenario, and this season has been a far cry from what happened back then.
Still, head coach Kyle Shanahan's squad has been hit by injuries a little harder as of late, many of which trailed one of the few season-ending setbacks San Francisco has had: losing All-Pro safety Talanoa Hufanga to a torn ACL not long after the halfway point of the year.
That was a massive blow. Except Hufanga's replacement, rookie defensive back Ji'Ayir Brown, has been excellent as a first-year starter.
Until Brown, too, was lost for a significant length of time because of injury.
With the 49ers securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC upon entering the playoffs, they can rest up and heal an additional week during the Wild Card round, which has afforded Shanahan the opportunity to get back a number of key players from injury when the divisional round rolls around in just over a week.
Shanahan provided some key updates on injured players, and the news is looking pretty good.
Including defensive tackle Arik Armstead, who has been out with a foot and knee injury since Week 14.
Kyle Shanahan provides updates on Arik Armstead
Armstead dealt with a foot injury that cut out half of his 2022 campaign and began to show up midway through the year, forcing him to exit halfway during the Niners' Week 13 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.
He hasn't seen the field since.
Shanahan noted, though, that the defender is awfully close to returning and is "looking good" and the team "should get him back in practice this week."
San Francisco engaged in a somewhat meaningless Week 18 affair against the Los Angeles Rams, and Shanahan said that Armstead "would’ve gone last week if we needed that," but seeing how the 49ers rested plenty of their starters in what turned into a 21-20 loss to LA, it didn't matter.
Instead, giving Armstead an additional week of rest and recovery mattered more.
And it'll matter for the Niners' defensive backfield, too, which is getting healthier.
Kyle Shanahan says multiple defensive backs could be 'back in practice this week'
San Francisco's secondary took some of the serious blows in recent weeks with the loss of Ji'Ayir Brown (knee), Tashaun Gipson (quad), George Odum (bicep) and Ambry Thomas (hand) all missing games because of their respective injuries.
On one hand, the 49ers inked veteran safety Logan Ryan to help plug the game, and Kyle Shanahan referred to him as having "been great" in that role.
Yet it'll be interesting to see what Ryan will do with Brown and Gipson poised to return very soon, likely this week:
" Ji’Ayir with his knee, hope to get him back in practice this week. Also, same with [Gipson] with his quad strain. Hope to get him back in practice. Ambry will be back in practice with his hand."
Ryan might be worth keeping around as an experienced backup who can plug one of many different spots within the defensive backfield.
Either way, it's refreshing to know that the Niners are returning to full strength at the third and final level of the defense.
What about Christian McCaffrey?
Without question, the No. 1 player San Francisco can't afford to be without this postseason is running back Christian McCaffrey, who suffered a minor calf injury during the 49ers' road win over the Washington Commanders on New Year's Eve.
McCaffrey, like so many other starters, rested during the Niners' regular-season finale, but it appears as if the team will want to take things slowly with the NFL's leading rusher from 2023.
"McCaffrey, he’s not going to practice this week with a calf," Kyle Shanahan said. "But we should get him back next week."
Sounds notably precautionary.
McCaffrey is one of those players who seemingly won't need any practice to ramp up for the divisional round when San Francisco next takes the field, so getting him as close to 100 percent as possible is certainly the top priority.
Which 49ers aren't likely returning in time for divisional round?
Of course, it's not all good on the 49ers' injury front. There are a few players who are going to be absent for a while and probably won't return in time for Round 2 of the postseason.
Defensive end Clelin Ferrell, whose injury in Week 18 appeared to be very serious, didn't suffer an MCL or ACL tear but is going to miss some time.
"I think Cle is the one that we’re going to lose most likely for at least a game," Kyle Shanahan said of the reserve pass-rusher, who'll likely give way to others like Randy Gregory in terms of additional playing time.
Additionally, safety Tayler Hawkins, who recorded an interception during the loss to the Rams, which was the highlight of his first-ever NFL regular-season game, is going to require surgery on his wrist and has been placed on injured reserve.
George Odum, meanwhile, will see his practice window open up after tearing his bicep, but there's a strong chance he won't return in time for the divisional round.
Plenty of other players are, though, and that's a good thing.