San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Mike Evans remained sidelined from practice Wednesday with a quad strain that surfaced Monday.
Not much about Evans’ injury has been divulged since he surfaced on the injury report, but it’s certainly concerning for a 49ers team that continues to struggle with injuries and depth in its passing game.
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Ricky Pearsall is out for the season with a PCL injury in his right knee. Deebo Samuel now projects as the No. 2 option behind Evans after reuniting with the franchise since Pearsall’s injury surfaced.
Free-agent signing Christian Kirk and rookie receiver De’Zhaun Stribling are also out. Kirk’s been sidelined since late July with a calf strain, and Stribling has a hamstring injury.
(Yahoo Sports)
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Kirk signed as a depth piece and a potential No. 3 option for quarterback Brock Purdy. Stribling was San Francisco’s second-round pick out of Mississippi.
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Soft-tissue injuries can linger; the 49ers will surely take the cautious route and not put Evans at risk of further injury unnecessarily. He was San Francisco’s splash add in the offseason and is the clear No. 1 receiver on the depth chart.
Don’t expect Evans to return to practice until he’s fully cleared. The same can be said for Kirk and Stribling. In the meantime, they’re all missing valuable time getting acclimated with a new quarterback and offense.
And of course, there’s George Kittle, whose timeline to return remains unclear. The All-Pro tight end sustained a torn Achilles tendon in the playoffs last season. While prognoses for Achilles tears have improved dramatically in recent years, it’s fair to wonder how effective Kittle will be upon his return from such a serious injury as he approaches 33 years old.
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Fullback Kyle Juszczyk, meanwhile, surfaced on the injury report Wednesday with a broken finger. Details regarding his injury are unclear.
It all adds up to a concerning injury tally on offense for a team that’s been ravaged by injuries in recent seasons. The 49ers are certainly hoping that it’s not a sign of things to come once the games are actually being played.
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