SANTA CLARA – Fred Warner’s All-Professional presence multiplied 12 months after 12 months, begin after begin on the 49ers’ protection. Now he’s laid up on his sofa, elevating his surgically repaired proper ankle and cuddling together with his toddler son, Beau.
Defensive coordinator Robert Saleh doesn’t need Warner to fade from the 49ers’ sight.
“He’ll be around the locker room,” Saleh mentioned. “I texted him the other day and said, ‘You ain’t dead. Let’s go hang out, grab a cup of coffee and shoot the (bull).’ ”
Saleh referred to as it “shameful” that Warner’s season presumably ended final Sunday within the 49ers’ 30-19 loss to Tampa Bay.
“Fred is special,” Saleh continued. “It’s unfortunate but it’s someone else’s time and it’s their opportunity and I’m really looking forward to seeing all these guys grow in their roles.”
The 49ers protection marches on with out Warner, and its entrance line has accomplished so feebly with out Nick Bosa since Sept. 21. Saleh’s unit should rally behind all 11 defenders, together with Warner’s younger however promising substitute, second-year linebacker Tatum Bethune.
“Saleh always preaches that everybody has one job and you don’t want to do too much,” defensive deal with Kalia Davis mentioned. “Fred did only have one job, but he was making up for a lot.”
Sunday night time, the 49ers (4-2) welcome the Atlanta Falcons (3-2) and NFL scrimmage-yards chief Bijan Robinson to Levi’s Stadium. A minimum of two new starters will probably be on protection: Bethune and security Malik Mustapha, who replaces rookie Marques Sigle subsequent to Ji’Ayir Brown.
“Everybody should just do their job and don’t be that one guy where they make a big play and it was your fault,” Davis added.” That’s how I’ll be pondering. I don’t need it to be me.”
On the play Warner acquired damage, the 49ers have been lacking a proper defensive finish, and coaches mistakenly assumed practice-squad call-up Trevis Gipson stayed on the sphere to fill that function after racing down on kickoff protection and making the preliminary hit on a deal with.
“Between special teams and getting guys on the field, it’s shameful it happened that way from a communication standpoint,” Saleh mentioned. “I’m always going to beat myself up over that because it starts with me.”
Saleh acknowledged it’s “obviously frustrating” his protection stays with out an interception this season — and thru an NFL-record 13 straight video games courting again to final season.
An inferior go rush impacts that. The 49ers have simply seven sacks and 14 quarterback hits this season. The Denver Broncos’ Nik Bonitto, alone, leads the NFL with eight sacks and 16 quarterback hits. The Falcons come to city touting 15 sacks, with 9 gamers producing not less than one.
Huff leads the 49ers with three sacks and 4 quarterback hits, and he practically had a fourth sack final Sunday however Baker Mayfield escaped the grasps of Huff and Gipson for a 15-yard scramble on third-and-14. “That kept me up at night. That one hurt,” mentioned Gipson, who’s hungry for extra alternatives.
The 49ers’ solely different sacks, except for Bosa’s two, are one apiece from defensive lineman Mykel Williams and nickel again Upton Stout. Of opponents 193 passes, simply 19 have been damaged up by the 49ers, 10 have gone for touchdowns, and 67.9% are being accomplished for a mixed 104.7 passer score.
“There’s going to be mistakes and going to gain some scars, but as long as they get them at 100 mph, they’ll get them at full speed and hopefully learn lessons,” Saleh mentioned of his youth-laden protection.
Per week after normal supervisor John Lynch mentioned he was working the trade-market telephones, he didn’t specific any higher urgency after Warner’s damage, and maybe fairly the opposite. “We’ve got plenty in this team to go compete and win football games,” Lynch mentioned on KNBR 680-AM.
KITTLE’S ENCOURAGING ENCORE
Tight finish George Kittle practiced on back-to-back days for the primary time since a Grade 3 hamstring tear. “I fully plan on playing on Sunday, as long as Kyle lets me,” Kittle mentioned. “It’s up to them, but hopefully I will play, which I think I will.”
Kittle knew exactly he acquired damage on the twenty sixth offensive play of the season, operating a go-route and feeling like a “rubber band snapped in my hamstring,” although he famous the muscle not less than didn’t tear from the bone.
Requested if he may give the 49ers offense a wanted push, Kittle replied: “I’m going to try my best to shove everybody as hard as I possibly can, whether it’s with my energy or hopefully a really good playing ability. That would be my dream.”
MAC JONES: ‘I’ll BE OUT THERE’
Quarterback Mac Jones was a full participant and appears in line to make his third straight begin and fifth total rather than Brock Purdy, who practiced a second straight day in a restricted function.
Jones has battled indirect and rib points, however mentioned he’s been by way of worse, similar to enjoying each snap his 2021 rookie seaosn in New England. “I’ll be out there if I can, and I know my team needs me,” Jones mentioned. “I put a lot into in the offseason It’s really just mental toughness. Yeah I want to move around and I’ve been working on that.”
Proper guard Dominick Puni (knee) returned after lacking Wednesday’s session, as did operating again Christian McCaffrey and left deal with Trent Williams who had that apply off to relaxation, as typical.
ANOTHER RECEIVER INJURY
Marquez Valdes-Scantling didn’t apply due to a calf damage, additional thinning a large receiver unit that figures to be with out Ricky Pearsall a 3rd straight sport due to a knee concern.
Valdes-Scantling practiced on Wednesday and performed 42 snaps in Sunday’s loss in his native Tampa. He has 4 catches on eight targets for 40 yards, everywhere in the previous three video games.
Poised to make his 49ers debut is rookie fourth-round choose Jordan Watkins, who practically collided in warmups Thursday with Skyy Moore within the latter’s return from a one-day hiatus (ankle damage).
Though Brandon Aiyuk turned eligible in Week 5 to return off the Bodily Unable To Carry out record, the 49ers have but to open his apply window. He’s been doing particular person conditioning within the morning earlier than apply, and Shanahan loosely projected a Week 10 comeback, which might be Nov. 9 in opposition to the Rams.
