2020 was a miserable season for 49er fans for a multitude of reasons. The pain of losing a Super Bowl the team should have won was still fresh when the world shut down due to Covid. A virtual draft and super shortened offseason later, a promising 2020 season soon melted into an injury riddled trudge through empty stadiums, local litigation and multiple home sites.
That soulless campaign had many external factors, but the most important was the myriad of injuries to key players on both sides of the ball. Fast forward four years, and the similarities developing in training camp for the defending NFC champions are eerily similar. Putting aside the refreshing lack of a global pandemic, the attrition in training camp resembles the comedy of health issues the 2020 Niners dealt with. It got so bad this past week that Kyle Shanahan decided to cancel previously scheduled joint practices with the New Orleans Saints this week ahead of Sunday’s preseason contest.
The saving grace is that this is still just that, training camp. Most of the brutal injuries of four years ago were sustained during the season. They were also more severe, and suffered by the unquestioned most important players on the team. Drake Jackson, a former second round pick at defensive line who looks more and more like a bust with each passing day, will miss the entirety of this season. Fellow defensive lineman Kalia Davis will also miss significant time to begin the season as he undergoes a minor procedure.
Christian McCaffrey is hurt, and although he isn’t expected to miss significant time or anything close to a regular season, it’s not a great sign after he enjoyed the healthiest season of his career in 2023. Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams are obviously away from the practice fields for reasons unrelated to health. Rookie wide receivers Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing have consistently missed time. Offensive linemen Jon Feliciano and Spencer Burford are also banged up. All this without yet acknowledging that key defensive players Talanoa Hufanga and Dre Greenlaw are coming off major injuries. Hufanga has a solid chance to start the opener, but Greenlaw won’t be ready for at least the first 5-6 weeks.
Rookie excitement
After an off-season spent admiring the incredible physique of rookie Safety Malik Mustapha, 49er fans finally got the chance to marvel at his playmaking ability in Saturday’s preseason loss to the Titans. In a goal line stand, Mustapha shot like a cannon from the shallow defensive backfield and smacked the ball carrier behind the line of scrimmage.
On the offensive line, guard Dominick Puni has been receiving rave reviews. With gaps opened by Burford and Feliciano, Puni has been running with the first team at practice. His run blocking and pass blocking have fans and the coaching staff envisioning impactful regular season snaps for the Kansas product.
Familiar faces?
Besides the specialists, almost no Niner regulars got playing time in Tennessee. Will that change this weekend against New Orleans? Shanahan isn’t revealing much. Don’t be surprised if the starters do get a series or two of run in the only home preseason game.
