The San Francisco 49ers lost running back Matt Breida to an ankle injury, but the news might not be all bad. NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport tweeted that Breida might miss some time, but the x-rays were negative and, “it’s not the worst-case scenario.” Breida left the stadium in a walking boot, and confirmed his x-rays were negative, per Matt Barrows.
Breida suffered the injury in the second quarter when Arizona Cardinals safety Budda Baker landed on his ankle. He seemed to be in considerable pain before limping off the field with help from a trainer and Kyle Juszczyk. Cameras showed the trainers taping up his ankles in hopes of getting him back on the field, but eventually the team decided to send him to the locker room and ruled him questionable to return. Early in the third quarter, FOX Sports sideline reporter Jennifer Hale reported he was downgraded to out.
The 49ers have an extra day to prepare for Week 6, when they face the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football. Even with the extra day, Rapoport’s tweet suggests it might be another week after that, but it will depend on how Breida responds to treatment.
Alfred Morris took over as the 49ers starting running back after Breida left. He played a more bell-cow role, rushing 18 times for 61 yards (3.4 yards per carry), and also caught three passes for 30 yards. Morris has proven he can be a pass catcher, but it’s not the main part of his game. Kyle Juszczyk will likely continue to be the primary third down pass catcher, but if Breida won’t be ready in Week 6, we might see the team activate rookie Jeff Wilson from the practice squad.