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At this point, the 49ers are just trying to make it through the year. Yes, they’re trying to spoil the season of the 8-6 Arizona Cardinals, but they’ll have to do so with another substantial chunk of key player missing.
George Kittle’s return will be met with a host of absentees. The following are the 49ers’ inactives:
- CB Richard Sherman (calf)
- DT Javon Kinlaw (knee)
- S Jimmie Ward (concussion)
- WR Deebo Samuel (hamstring) – out for the year
- WR Matt Cole
- DT Kevin Givens (not injury related)
- DE Dion Jordan (knee)
That’s three defensive linemen out for the 49ers, including Javon Kinlaw, who suffered a knee injury against the Dallas Cowboys last week. He missed the first two practices of the week, before being limited on Thursday. Those three absences leave them with just seven healthy, active members of that group (two of whom were just promoted from the practice squad).
- DL Arik Armstead
- DE Kerry Hyder
- NT D.J. Jones
- DE Jordan Willis
- DL Kentavius Street
- DT Darrion Daniels
- DE Alex Barrett
Yikes. The Cardinals just lost linebacker Dennis Gardeck, who had five sacks in his last three games, for the season, placing him on injured reserve with a knee injury, but their inactives aren’t near as substantial as the 49ers’:
- QB Brett Hundley
- WR Andy Isabella,
- B Eno Benjamin
- S Jalen Thompson
- OL Josh Miles
- TE Maxx Williams