© Kelley L Cox | 2018 Aug 9
49ers projected starting running back Jerick McKinnon sustained a right calf strain during practice last Sunday.
On Friday, San Francisco general manager John Lynch told KNBR’s Murph & Mac that the injury would keep the running back out for the remainder of the preseason.
“You know the McKinnon thing just happened in one of our practices,” Lynch said. “We were getting ready to travel out (to Houston) and so we really needed to have a hard day. It was early in practice and we really emphasized that this is a full speed tempo and Jerick was looking great, he was really rounding into shape and form, and he just felt a tweak in kind of his upper calf area, you know behind his knee.
“The good news is it’s not going to be long-term, the bad news is it’s going to take him up to Week 1, our opener, so his opportunity to get more in rhythm in our system, that kind of goes out the door. But he’s played a lot of football, and we play a lot of football in the offseason, OTAs and all that, so we’re going to have to trust that he’s going to be ready.
“We don’t expect to see him until that Week 1, and are hopeful that he heals in due time to be ready for that.”
The 49ers signed McKinnon to a 4-year, $30 million contract this offseason, making him the sixth highest paid running back in the NFL by average salary. Backup running back Matt Breida will also been out until Week 1 with a shoulder injury.
The same is true for linebacker Malcolm Smith, who has been dealing with a hamstring injury for most of training camp. Smith missed all of last season with a torn pectoral.
The 49ers play the Houston Texans in their second preseason game on Saturday.
Listen to the full interview below.