49ers vs. Titans injury report: 6 players miss Wednesday’s practice
“[Eric Kendricks] got a tight calf today, so I’m not sure how much he’s going to go today—if he’s going to go,” Shanahan said. “But he’s working back into here. Hopefully, it’s not too bad of a setback with that, but we’ll see him when he gets on the field.”
Additionally, kicker Eddy Piñeiro returned to practice after missing time with a hamstring injury.“
Kyle Shanahan previews 49ers-Titans Week 15 matchup “”I spent it hanging out
with the family, relaxing. It was fun to kind of just watch football Thursday, Saturday and Sunday just from a fan perspective. It was different having a Bye this late. I don’t know if I’d ever ask for that or wish upon it, but it was kind of nice. Usually, you have your Bye Week early on and I annoy the hell out of my family because I’m like, ‘no, we have to do this for lunch, we have to do this right now because when this is over I’m going like 11, 10 weeks straight.’ So, it was a little different having it in December where it was almost a little more relaxing because you’ve made so much of the season already and excited to get back now for the best time of the year in football… go up until Tuesday night and then I shut it down until Sunday. I just spend time with people I haven’t seen for a little bit or spent enough time with. I catch up on sleep, usually get three good meals in a day, enjoy my dog a little bit and come back a little bit fresher.”
For 49ers rookie quarterback Kurtis Rourke, the 2026 season begins this week (paywall)
“After averaging 264 rushing yards per season as Ohio’s starter, Rourke had minus-35 rushing yards in one season at Indiana.
“I definitely stayed in the pocket a little bit more than normal,” he said in April. “But I loved being able to sit back in the pocket and beat people with my mind.”
At 6 feet 4½, Rourke is taller than Purdy and Jones, and he has a better arm. He played in a similar offense at Indiana in that, like Shanahan’s, it required the quarterback to analyze the defense and pick the correct target based on those looks.
He also has something that’s become essential for the 49ers when it comes to drafting quarterbacks — experience. He spent five years at Ohio before transferring to Indiana, and he attempted 1,283 passes in his college career. That’s in the same realm as Purdy’s 1,467 attempts at Iowa State and is in sharp contrast to the 318 attempts Trey Lance had at North Dakota State. “
How 49ers’ Spencer Burford lived down the benching that halted his career (paywall)
“Burford has produced four clean sheets in five starts this season. His lone sack allowed came after he returned from IR in Week 9, his first start in nearly two years, a long wait for another opportunity that was never guaranteed. All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams was among those who helped talk Burford through the low moments. The two trained together in Houston as recently as this past offseason. Burford also shadowed Williams at left tackle throughout OTAs and training camp.
By then, the former Day 2 draft pick had learned all positions along the front five except for center, hoping for a chance to play football again. Wherever, whenever. Recent weeks have reminded him how fun the sport can be.
“Everybody comes in with this imaginary picture, this imaginary clock of what they think they want to happen by a certain timeline,” Burford said. “Sometimes it just don’t go like that. … It took a while for me to get to the point of just … I’m grateful for the situation, even though it’s not the situation I wanted.”
Burford has certain accolades on his bucket list. Five Pro Bowls. Three All-Pros. Two Super Bowls, though he’ll settle for one. “I think it’s manageable,” the 2022 fourth-rounder said.
Those benchmarks used to be a lot higher.
“It definitely shrunk,” Burford said with a chuckle. “After going through what you go through, you got to be more realistic.”
49ers continue D-line overhaul in ESPN’s 2026 NFL mock draft
“[Florida DT Caleb] Banks’ 2025 season ended prematurely due to a foot injury, limiting him to only three games. However, listed at 6-foot-6 and 329 pounds, his rare size and power continue to intrigue NFL evaluators.
“Banks’ evaluation is a little tricky because he logged just 90 snaps in three games this season before fracturing his foot,” Yates noted. “He has a huge frame, with over 35-inch arms, and generates major shock at the point of attack. Banks is the type of player that could help the 49ers put teams into less favorable passing situations.”
