SANTA CLARA — After many 49ers players were dealing with minor injuries during training camp and the preseason, it appears that most of the group is making its way back to the field.
On Thursday, all but three players returned to limited action on the field for the team's sunny afternoon practice. One of the three players who did not participate was receiver Ricky Pearsall, who was placed on the Non-Football injury list and will miss the first four games. Coach Kyle Shanahan was pleased to see the rest of his group more complete than it has been in a while.
“It's awesome to get everyone here,” Shanahan said Thursday. “I couldn't be more excited than that, but that ends as soon as you enjoy that and that usually lasts as soon as you start thinking about the game plan and what you're doing in practice. And then it becomes real football.”
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Defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos, who injured his knee during San Francisco's preseason finale, still is not participating in practice but was seen running under the supervision of the team’s medical training staff. Linebacker Dee Winters still is sidelined with an ankle injury.
Joining the team on the field for their second practice since agreeing to contract extensions were receiver Brandon Aiyuk and left tackle Trent Williams. The head coach was tentative in confirming either player will be in the lineup for the club's Monday night opener facing the New York Jets, but he also didn’t deny the possibility.
The decision rests on what Shanahan sees from both players during the next few practices.
“It's awesome to have our guys back,” Shanahan said. “I feel so good about our team, especially being able to finish these and get those two guys back contractually, get some of the health back that guys have been missing on offense which feels great. But now I'm all about going to work and usually you start that pretty early in training camp.
San Francisco 49ers
“I’ve got a lot of confidence in these guys that they're conditioned. They’ve done everything. But football's about playing as a team and having 11 guys move together and that's what we're trying to get done in these practices.”
Shanahan did share that there is a possibility for Talanoa Hufanga to be able to play in the season opener but that the final decision has yet to be made. Christian McCaffrey, Jauan Jennings and Isaac Guerendo all have a chance to play on Monday evening as well.
Here is the full practice report:
49ers
Did Not Participate
DE Yetur Gross-Matos (knee)
LB Dee Winters (ankle)
Limited Participation
G Aaron Banks (finger)
RB Isaac Guerendo (groin)
S Talanoa Hufanga (knee)
WR Jauan Jennings (ankle)
RB Christian McCaffrey (calf, Achilles)
Full Participation
LB Tatum Bethune (ankle)
G Spencer Burford (hand)
P Mitch Wishnowsky (back, right knee)
New York Jets
Did Not Participate
G Wes Schweitzer (hand)
Limited Participation
T Tyron Smith (not injury related - resting player)
Full Participation
CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse (groin)
T Max Mitchell (shoulder)
G Xavier Newman-Johnson (shoulder)
WR Mike Williams (knee)
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