Add defensive end Mykel Williams to the lengthy 49ers injury list, as the rookie first round draft pick sustained a torn ACL Sunday in a 34-24 road win over the New York Giants.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Monday in a conference call with local reporters said there was damage to both the anterior cruciate ligament and lateral meniscus. He didn’t have a timeline for recovery but was told Williams should come back strong in 2026.
Shanahan said he hadn’t spoken to Williams, but that the rookie out of Florida State had talked with both Nick Bosa (knee) and Fred Warner (ankle), both of whom are out for the season as well.
It was an unfortunate ending to a player Shanahan believed was making good progress.
“I’m real happy with Mykel,” Shanahan said. “I loved watching him battle through his injury in training camp and he’s been playing a long time since then. I thought he was a guy who needed a bye week more than anyone, so I’m disappointed he’s not able to keep developing throughout the year. We got a hell of a player who’s going to figure this out.”
Shanahan reiterated that losing Williams doesn’t make the 49ers personnel department more likely to add a defensive lineman unless it makes sense both now and in the future.
“That hasn’t changed anything,” Shanahan said. “I know those guys are working around the clock like we do every single year. But this happening hasn’t changed anything.”
The Philadelphia Eagles got one of the potential edge rushers off the market, sending a third-round pick to the Miami Dolphins for Jaelan Phillips, who plays predominantly as an edge rusher in a 3-4 defense.
Big names such as Cincinnati’s Trey Hendrickson, Cleveland’s Myles Garrett and the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby are playing for losing teams which could be looking to unload salary and add draft picks, but with Bosa coming back next year, it’s doubtful the 49ers could accommodate the cost of a player who will also make premium pay at a premium position.
If the 49ers hope to add a defensive lineman, they’ll need to do it soon as the NFL trading deadline is set for 1 p.m. (Pacific Standard Time) on Tuesday.
A first round draft pick out of Florida State, at No. 11 overall Williams, 21, played both end and tackle. He had just one sack and one fumble recovery and needs polish as a pass rusher but was adept as a run defender particularly when setting an edge against tight ends.
The 49ers expect to get Bryce Huff back for their Week 10 game Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams at Levi’s Stadium. Huff has missed the last two games with a hamstring strain. Shanahan said two defensive linemen who were added to the roster and fared well against the Giants — Keion White and Clelin Ferrell — will also help pick up the slack.
In other injury-related news, wide receiver Ricky Pearsall Jr. (knee) and center Jake Brendel (hamstring) are both day by day and how they fare in practice will determine their availability.
KITTLE ON TURF
The MetLife Stadium artificial turf, even though it’s been updated in 2023 with a supposedly more forgiving surface, still has a bad reputation. That only makes tight end George Kittle more convinced that a business worth $228 billion would do better when it comes to having uniform playing surfaces.
The 49ers lost Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas and Jimmy Garoppolo in a 2020 game at MetLife plus an MCL strain by Raheem Mostert.
“My issue is when someone’s field is the butt of a joke throughout social media constantly, and everybody jokes about how bad it is, I feel like all fields should have a level of safety to it,” Kittle said. “No NFL field should be the butt of a joke ever. I don’t get why there’s not a standard. There shouldn’t be 12 different turfs and 12 different grass fields.”
WAITING ON BROCK
Shanahan said the 49ers aren’t taking advantage of Mac Jones’ play at quarterback simply to give more time to Brock Purdy as he recovers from turf toe. It’s simply because Purdy isn’t ready.
“This is Brock’s team, and when he’s good to go and can play like Brock, there’s no decision to be made,” Shanahan said. “As we go through the uncertainty with his toe, it’s cool to have someone playing as good as Mac is, but they’re not related.”
MISSING IN ACTION
The following 49ers have missed at least one game due to injury:
9–WR Brandon Aiyuk, WR Jacob Cowing; 7–QB Brock Purdy, WR Jordan Watkins, G Ben Bartch; 6–DE Nick Bosa, DL Kevin Givens, G-T Spencer Burford; 5–TE George Kittle; S Malik Mustapha; 4–DL Yetur Gross-Matos; 3--LB Fred Warner; WR DeMarcus Robinson (suspension); 2–C Jake Brendel, DE Bryce Huff, WR Jauan Jennings; 1–CB Renardo Green, DT C.J. West, CB Upton Stout.
Number of players who missed games: 20
Number of missed games missed: 92
Players on injured reserve: WR Jacob Cowing, DE Yatur Gross-Matos, DE Nick Bosa, LB Fred Warner, LB Ben Bartch (practice window opened), DE Tarron Johnson, CB Jakob Robinson, CB Tre Tomlinson, RB Patrick Taylor Jr., WR Trent Taylor.
Players on Physically Unable to Perform list: WR Brandon Aiyuk
Players on Non-Football Injury: QB Kurtis Roarke
SNAP JUDGEMENTS
A look at who played and how much against the New York Giants:
66: Spencer Burford joined the party for the first time and played every offensive snap in place of Connor Colby at left guard as did fellow starters Colton McKivitz (right tackle), Dominick Puni (right guard) Matt Hennessey (center) and Trent Williams (left tackle).
“For him to come in on short notice and come in and play left guard, I’m proud of him,” Williams said.
57: Six defensive players never came off the field — safety Ji’Ayir Brown, inside linebacker Tatum Bethune, linebacker Dee Winters, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, safety Malik Mustapha and cornerback Renardo Green.
53: Slot corner Upton Stout played 93 percent of the snaps as the 49ers went almost exclusively with a nickel defense and without a third linebacker as Luke Gifford played three snaps.
44: Fullback Kyle Juszczyk played in 62.7 percent of the snaps, with both the snap count and percentage the highest of the season. He was targeted two times, catching one for a 12-yard gain.
41: Sam Okuayinonu got the most work of any of the defensive linemen despite an injured ankle and had his second sack of the season.
33: White played 58 percent of the snaps, while Ferrell, playing with late Raiders former safety George Atkinson on his mind, played 18 snaps and had a sack.
21: Luke Farrell got the most work as second tight end to George Kittle, with Jake Tonges playing just four snaps on offense.
9: Brian Robinson Jr. made the most of his nine snaps, gaining 53 yards on five caries. One of his four special teams snaps was a 41-yard kickoff return that had Shanahan doing an about face.
“He completely flipped me,” Shanahan said. “I went from being extremely angry with him for not taking a touchback to eating my own words and saying, `Hell of a job.’ “
1: With Purdy inactive, quarterback Adrian Martinez was gifted the final snap in victory formation by Jones.
“He’s just been awesome, a good friend of mine,” Jones said.