There were a handful of welcome sights for the San Francisco 49ers when they took the practice field Thursday, but one bit of good news on the defensive side stands out.
While Christian McCaffrey's return to practice after a Wednesday absence is a good sign for his availability in Week 9, cornerback Upton Stout getting out of his non-contact jersey is a strong development for the 49ers' defense coming out of its bye week per the Bay Area News Group's Cam Inman.
Stout was dealing with a shoulder issue that plagued him during the 49ers' final two games before their week off. He sat out most of the fourth quarter against the Washington Commanders and then missed the team's game against the Atlanta Falcons. San Francisco struggled to find an adequate
replacement when Stout wasn't on the field.
In Week 6 San Francisco deployed veteran safety Ashtyn Davis to play Stout's nickel CB spot. He was picked on relentlessly by Washington's offense. He gave up three catches for 35 yards on three targets per Pro Football Focus.
In Week 7 the 49ers moved Deommodore Lenoir inside and put veteran Jack Jones on the outside. That didn't work as Atlanta's offense cruised all afternoon with Jones allowing four catches for 39 yards on five targets. He was also flagged twice. San Francisco eventually inserted rookie CB Ephesians Prysock into Jones' spot. Jones was released during the Bye.
With Stout out of a non-contact jersey it signals his return to something close to full strength, which means he should be ready to go against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday at Levi's Stadium. Stout will go back to his usual nickel CB position with Lenoir kicking back outside. The Lenoir-Stout-Renardo Green trio has enjoyed a ton of success this season and San Francisco's roster may not be deep enough at corner to withstand an injury to any of those three.
Stout being back in the fold will provide a significant lift for the 49ers' pass defense, and it'll do so just in time to face Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins amid one of his most prolific seasons as a pro.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Under-the-radar good injury news for 49ers in 2nd Week 9 practice
