Photo Credit: 49ers
As the 49ers head into Sunday, they’ll be embarking on the final quarter of a season which has been largely a disappointment. It’s a matchup between two 5-7 teams, but one which needs to win out to have any chance of making the playoffs, and another, in Washington, who is currently tied for the NFC East lead after three-straight wins under Alex Smith.
Jason Verrett’s future
San Francisco has two of the older corners in the league, with the 32-year-old Richard Sherman and 29-year-old Jason Verrett. Sherman reaffirmed on Thursday that he didn’t expect to re-sign, saying it would “take a miracle,” based on the limited cap space the team has.
Verrett was asked, too, about his future on Friday. He was effusive in his praise of the organization, but said there hadn’t been any talks.
“We haven’t had any talks about that,” Verrett said. “I have a ton of respect for the entire organization for allowing me to come back, allowing me to be able to showcase the things that I could do, believing in me and the whole nine yards. It’s definitely a place that I would want to be, but we just got to see where things go when the season’s over.”
After losing most of his NFL career to injuries, with an Achilles tear following an ACL tear, Verrett is the team’s clear candidate for Comeback Player of the Year. He’ll be facing Alex Smith Sunday, the presumptive winner of the Comeback Player of the Year Award. Verrett said he hoped he watched Smith’s documentary on ESPN and hoped he could talk to him after the game.
“That’s a guy that I used to go against a lot in the AFC when I was with the Chargers,” Verrett said. “I have a ton of respect for him. Hopefully once we play him I can talk to him after, try to see if we can get a jersey swap or something.”
K’Waun Williams returns
There was concern that K’Waun Williams, with a high ankle sprain, might be sidelined for the remainder of the season. After having a two-game suspension overturned a day after it was handed down, Williams is set to return for San Francisco far earlier than expected, and be available for the last four games of the year.
Below are the 49ers’ game statuses:
Questionable:
- K’Waun Williams (ankle)
Doubtful:
- D.J. Jones (ankle)
- Emmanuel Moseley (hamstring)
OUT
- Hroniss Grasu (knee)
- Tom Compton (concussion)
- Kevin Givens (not injury related – son’s birth)
Note, per 49ers: “49ers run game specialist and outside linebackers coach Johnny Holland will not attend Sunday’s game for personal reasons. His duties will be absorbed by the defensive coaching staff.”
Below are the game statuses for Washington
OUT
- RB Antonio Gibson (toe)
Questionable
- DE Ryan Anderson (knee)
- T Morgan Moses (groin),
- G Brandon Scherff (calf)
- T David Sharpe (knee)
Other notes: Bosa vs. Young, and an Alex Boone return?
- Kyle Shanahan said that while there are similarities and flashes of the same moves between Nick Bosa and Chase Young, who both learned from legendary defensive line coach Larry Johnson at Ohio State, “they are wired differently” and “move a little bit differently.”
- Verrett’s assessment of Smith and Terry McLaurin’s success, is that it’s related to timing and the “dink and dunk” penchant of Smith:
“I think the rhythm that him and Alex Smith picked up over the last few weeks has been good,” Verrett said. “Alex Smith is definitely a rhythm-type quarterback, dink and dunk. Take what you can give him.”
- Former 49ers guard Alex Boone, who retired before attempting a comeback this year, is working out with the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens will be trying out veteran G Alex Boone. He announced last offseason that he was looking to return to the NFL after previously retiring.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) December 11, 2020