The San Francisco 49ers are dealing with a few injuries at key positions, and it’s testing the team’s depth.
Three San Francisco 49ers who figure to play a prominent role in the team’s success for 2025 returned to practice on Thursday.
Wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was back in action after having a rest day on Tuesday. First-round pick Mykel Williams returned after leaving last practice with a minor ankle injury. And after being medically cleared, Ben Bartch resumed his duties as the starting left guard with the first-team offense.
The new trend to give your best players the day off continued, as Trent Williams, Nick Bosa, and Christian McCaffrey did not practice. Those three have everything to lose and nothing to gain during a practice in July.
The 49ers also need to assess their depth at each of those positions. The only way to do that is to give those players reps. There are no gray areas when it comes to Williams, Bosa, and McCaffrey.
Wide receiver Jauan Jennings missed his third consecutive practice due to re-aggravating a calf strain, per Kyle Shanahan. This is a lingering injury that dates back to the beginning of this offseason. It also explains why the 49ers signed multiple receivers.
The 49ers also signed running back Ameer Abdullah. That’s because rookie running back Jordan James has “knee issues,” according to Shanahan, who added that James will be reevaluated as the week goes on.
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir is dealing with hip irritation, per Shanahan. The team will keep Lenoir out during this three-block set of practices. The 49ers have Sunday off, so the earliest Lenoir would return is next Monday, August 4.
Lenoir is another player the 49ers must be overly cautious with, especially with Renardo Green’s timetable to return still more than a week away.