The San Francisco 49ers have been ravaged by injuries at a couple of places, but none have been more impactful than their injuries on the defensive line.
The 49ers lost six defensive linemen through the first two weeks of the season to injury, and they’ve had to make a number of roster moves to recover and stay afloat with enough bodies at the position.
However, they did get one player back finally, as Mykel Williams saw his practice window open this week after starting the season on PUP. Williams is not
allowed to return until Week 5, but gets 21 days to return after his practice window has opened.
What is the plan for the second-year defensive lineman?
“He looks excellent and it’s been a long time coming,” John Lynch said. “When you’re in those ACL, those long-term injuries, there’s a mental grind that comes with that, and I’ve been very proud of Mykel with how he’s handled it, how he’s embraced it. I know Mykel, he’s a coachable young man who’s going to say ‘yes, sir,’ but when we told him that, hey, we’re gonna put you on PUP and you’re not gonna be eligible until Week 5, I know he was upset, but he just went back to work.
“I think now he’s in a good spot. We got to get from here to there, but it was nice to see him out there yesterday, and today we’ll get in some. He’s chomping at the bit to get out there. He’ll make us a better football team the second he’s out there and we’re looking forward to that time. He’s not eligible to play this week, so this week we can just open his practice window, and the following week he will be eligible provided things go well, we’re looking forward to seeing him out there.”
It’s a good sign that Williams could be out there sooner rather than later because the 49ers could be facing some big tests soon. After the Denver Broncos this weekend, they’ll get the Seattle Seahawks in Week 5 on the road
It is interesting that John Lynch expects Williams back when he is eligible, as his practice window was not opened last week, but he could slot in as an immediate starter and be a big help to their run defense, which has looked fine, but not great, through the first three weeks of the season.
Currently, the 49ers are starting Keion White, Osa Odighizuwa, Gracen Halton, and Romello Height on the defensive line, with Khalid Kareem, Ogbo Okoronkwo, Naquon Jones, and James Thompson as depth. Williams had been coming on strong at the end of his rookie season, but that was cut short last year with his torn ACL.
Still only 22 years old, the first-round pick has a ton of football ahead of him and will look to potentially hit the field in Week 5.
