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The 49ers head to Kansas City to face the Chiefs in Week 2 of the NFL preseason, and head coach Jim Harbaugh confirmed at least one absence. Tight end Vance McDonald is working through something, according to Harbaugh, and it is unlikely he will play this week. Harbaugh stated that he will likely be out for seven to ten days. McDonald missed team drills on Saturday and Sunday.
McDonald had a strong performance on Thursday against the Broncos, making several great catches. Greg Roman spoke about McDonald on Sunday, indicating he is showing progress as a blocker. The big question about McDonald coming out of college was about his blocking skills along the line. As long as he keeps showing improvement, he has a chance to be an impact player as a rookie. Delanie Walker was a great blocker, but he was inconsistent as a pass catcher. If McDonald can provide more consistency behind Vernon Davis, the offense could take a nice step forward.
Coach Harbaugh was asked about other injuries, and he decided to troll the media a bit. He said, "Want some names? Michael Crabtree probably, Mario perhaps." You know he loved trolling the crowd just a little bit!