© Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
In the season opener, the 49ers surprised many by benching rookie running back and third-round pick, Trey Sermon. He was a healthy scratch, as was second-round pick Aaron Banks. He, Emmanuel Moseley, Javon Kinlaw and the newly-acquired Josh Norman were all inactive.
This week, it’s the 49ers’ other third-round pick who’s inactive, Ambrt Thomas. He joins Banks, again, as a healthy scratch, along with just two other inactive players in Moseley (knee) and Zack Kerr, who is healthy, but had a pretty brutal week in Detroit, failing to fulfill his role as a gap-plugging tackle aside from a few plays.
With Javon Kinlaw — who practiced in limited fashion on Thursday and Friday — active for the first time this season and looking ready to make his debut, that likely made Kerr the odd man out.
That means Sermon is set to make his NFL debut and three players in corners Josh Norman, Dre Kirkpatrick and running back Trenton Cannon — who may take over kickoffs for Thomas — will make their 49ers debuts against the Eagles. Norman is expected to start, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Veteran CB Josh Norman, who signed with the 49ers less than two weeks ago, is expected to start today at Philadelphia against the Eagles, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 19, 2021
Against a very quick skill position group for the Eagles, this should pose a major challenge for Norman from a stamina and tackling perspective.