ATLANTA — The San Francisco 49ers positioned two extra defensive starters on injured reserve Saturday because the league’s top-ranked protection continues to fight harm attrition.
Defensive take on Javon Kinlaw (proper knee) and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley (torn left ACL) are the crew’s 9th and tenth gamers to land on injured reserve this season, although Kinlaw might be one in every of its 8 gamers designated to go back as soon as he has been at the record for no less than 4 video games.
Moseley will quickly have surgical procedure at the injured knee however would possibly not go back in 2022. The transfer used to be anticipated after Moseley suffered the harm in ultimate week’s win in opposition to the Carolina Panthers.
Kinlaw’s scenario has been somewhat harder to learn, although he is overlooked the previous two video games. He had surgical procedure to restore lingering problems in his proper knee in October 2021, a process the Niners believed would permit Kinlaw to in spite of everything be freed from the issues courting to his time at South Carolina.
After the primary 3 video games this season, Kinlaw mentioned there used to be fluid buildup within the knee and that it might have to be controlled because the season went on.
Niners trainer Kyle Shanahan indicated the new issues have been unsurprising.
“We expected some of this going through the offseason,” Shanahan mentioned Oct. 7. “We knew some things would act up on him. It has.”
Including linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair (sprained proper MCL), the Niners will play the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday with 3 defensive starters on injured reserve. They might be with out no less than 3 extra as defensive take on Arik Armstead (foot, ankle) and unfastened protection Jimmie Ward (damaged left hand) have already been dominated out and finish Nick Bosa (groin) is indexed as questionable.
On Wednesday, the 49ers practiced with out all 4 contributors in their beginning defensive position and most effective finish Samson Ebukam, who overlooked that consultation with Achilles soreness, has been cleared to play in opposition to the Falcons.
With Kinlaw and Armstead out, the Niners will once more flip to veterans Hassan Ridgeway and Kevin Givens to get started on the take on spots.
“They’ve done a great job with the more reps that they’ve been given,” defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans mentioned. “I’ve seen them get better the more they’re out there.”
Bosa didn’t observe Wednesday and Thursday however used to be a restricted player within the Friday consultation, which the Niners run at extra of a walkthrough tempo. Shanahan mentioned Friday that the Niners “have to be careful” with Bosa and a groin harm as a result of it will worsen if he performs too quickly.
That’s very true for a Niners crew that has grown more and more cautious of taking part in on synthetic turf as a result of the wounds they have got had on that floor in recent times.
If Bosa joins Armstead and Kinlaw as out this week, the Niners would flip to a bunch that incorporates Charles Omenihu, Kerry Hyder Jr. and rookie Drake Jackson to fill in.
While Moseley and Kinlaw went to injured reserve Saturday, the Niners activated linebacker Curtis Robinson from that very same record. He rejoins the lively roster after struggling an ankle harm within the preseason.
The crew additionally increased cornerback Dontae Johnson and receiver Willie Snead IV from the observe squad to the roster for the Sunday recreation.