Injuries have been the storyline for the San Francisco 49ers all season long, as the team has dealt with serious issues with several starters, including stars Nick Bosa and Fred Warner.
Lately, the biggest concerns have been starting quarterback Brock Purdy and wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. Neither player has seen the field since Week 4, when Purdy re-aggravated his turf toe injury while Pearsall suffered a knee injury.
There was hope that both would be back sooner, but their timelines have continued
to be delayed, adding to the concerning injury news for the 49ers. Then, there’s the timeline for wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, who continues to recover from a significant knee injury suffered in October last season.
Ahead of the season, there wasn’t a firm timeline for Aiyuk, with head coach Kyle Shanahan throwing out Week 10 as a potential target date. Well, the 49ers are not opening Aiyuk’s practice window this week, but that could be coming sooner than later, according to general manager John Lynch.
“That was catastrophic, all three ligaments,” Lynch shared about Aiyuk’s injury. “He did a lot to his knee. I think both things can be true. He can be having a miraculous recovery because he’s worked hard and because he’s different, frankly. He’s very blessed by the good Lord with his athletic ability, and those guys tend to heal faster. But still, it’s a long, long process, and you have to hit all the markers.
“And so, it’s come along well. We’re getting close to opening up that window, and we look forward to the time. We’re a better football team when he’s out there. He’s a really good football player. And so, we look forward to when that day comes.”
That echoes Shanahan’s statement from earlier this week that Aiyuk will eventually return, with Lynch sharing more optimism on the situation. The star would be a big boost to the offense, which has seen numerous receiver injuries this season, including the lingering one for Pearsall.
Pearsall is trending on the wrong side this week after not practicing on Wednesday, with the knee injury clearly being a bigger issue than the 49ers initially thought.
It’s clear the 49ers want to err on the side of caution with both players, which is especially important in Aiyuk’s case with the magnitude of his injury. But, the team needs reinforcements at some point, as they get ready for the second half of the season in the most competitive division in football.
