49ers injury updates: Ford, Richburg, and Blair won’t be back this season

Kyle’s update, 1:10 p.m PT: The 49ers have announced they wavied S Chris Edwards, in addition to placing Jamar Taylor and Ken Webster on the IR

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan met with the media Tuesday morning to discuss a few injury updates and the team’s plan as they head to Arizona. Shanahan confirmed the 49ers would leave for Arizona on Wednesday and stay at the Renaissance Hotel in Glendale, Arizona. The team will practice where the Cardinals have their training camp, which is adjacent to State Farm Stadium.

Shanahan said the 49ers would be in Arizona for at least three weeks but still didn’t have many details surrounding the trip and whether families will join or not. When asked if this is an opportunity for the players to “bond,” Shanahan said that’s what got the team in trouble the last time. Kyle said after the Saints game, the 49ers had dinner for about 30 minutes, and that led to nine players going on the Reserve/COVID-19 list. Shanahan made it clear that once the team is done with “work,” then it’s time to go back to their hotel room in Arizona.

On the injury front, Shanahan confirmed that cornerbacks Jamar Taylor and Ken Webster would go on the injured reserve. Taylor tore his ACL, while Webster had a “severe hamstring pull.” Webster played on every special team’s unit for the 49ers since he was signed. Shanahan also said that Dee Ford, Weston Richburg, and Ronald Blair wouldn’t return this year. Both Blair and Richburg both had setbacks, and Shanahan said “it’s not looking very good” for either of them, while he said “it’s not looking like” Ford would return.

San Francisco will practice on Thursday this week and treat that as their normal Wednesday practice since their game this week falls on a Monday. The good news is Brandon Aiyuk, D.J. Jones, and Jordan Willis will all come off the Reserve/COVID-19 list Tuesday and would practice Thursday. Shanahan spoke about Deebo Samuel and how the team keeps having setbacks with him and Brandon Aiyuk.

I asked Kyle if he saw the Derrick Henry effect that Deebo has and whether that energy rubs off on the team:

He loves Deebo and what he brings to the table. It’s not often that Kyle heaps praise on young players. He rarely goes on rants like that as well. Also, if you caught the George Kittle bobblehead in the background, good eye.

Shanahan said he’s holding out hope for Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle to return this season, but it likely won’t be until Week 16. His exact quote was, “I’m holding out hope for Jimmy the last couple of weeks. Same for Kittle. Whether it’s two games, one game, or none.” Shanahan said neither player would return to practice this week. If the 49ers keep winning, we’ll see Jimmy G and Kittle this year.