The San Francisco 49ers' already-thin defensive line suffered a devastating blow Tuesday when defensive tackle Alfred Collins sustained a torn patellar tendon. His 2026 season is over.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan delivered the news in a press conference Tuesday evening Pacific Time. Collins was injured in the 49ers' penultimate practice before their Week 1 matchup with the Los Angeles Rams.
Collins was on track to start alongside Osa Odighizuwa and take on a substantial role on the 49ers' defensive front in his second season. The 2025 second-round pick made strides throughout his rookie season. He suffered a shoulder injury in the playoff loss to the Seattle Seahawks that required surgery and ultimately kept him from hitting the ground running in this
year's training camp.
An injury for Collins this close to the start of the regular season means the 49ers won't likely be able to fly in a replacement for him in time for Thursday night's game. Veteran Kevin Givens is on the practice squad and would be the likely immediate replacement for Collins.
In 16 games as a rookie last season Collins posted 17 tackles and 1.0 sacks. He tallied a pair of forced fumbles and a pair of fumble recoveries. One of his forced fumbles came in Week 5 vs. the Los Angeles Rams when he punched the ball away from Rams running back Kyren Williams at the goal line to help save the game for San Francisco in their 26-23 overtime win.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers former 2nd-rounder suffers devastating injury days before opener
