The 49ers will need to find a new return man for the first part of the season.
After the 49ers’ first joint practice with the Raiders on Thursday, Kyle Shanahan provided a host of injury updates. Most notable among them is that Ray-Ray McCloud, the team’s return specialist and flexible, gadget receiver, will miss some time.
In the final practice in Santa Clara on Tuesday, McCloud suffered a broken wrist. Shanahan said that he’ll undergo surgery later this week and that he’ll likely miss around eight weeks. That would theoretically have him on schedule to return for the Week 5 game against the Dallas Cowboys.
That means San Francisco needs a new return man, both on kickoffs and punt returns. Those are two unique duties, as Shanahan alluded to when asked whether Danny Gray could replace McCloud there.
Gray was “sore” on Thursday and didn’t participate due to risk of injury, but Shanahan didn’t expect that he’d return punts.
“A little bit more of a kickoff guy than a punt return guy,” Shanahan said.
That means there will be an “open competition,” according to Shanahan, for the return jobs. Ronnie Bell was mentioned as an option. D’Shawn Jamison, who’s performed well at corner as an undrafted free agent, was an excellent return man in college. He will have a chance there, too.
There are three other significant names on the injury report for Thursday: George Kittle, Dre Greenlaw, Drake Jackson.
Kittle suffered an adductor strain and is expected to miss about a week. Greenlaw pulled a hamstring strain in Thursday’s joint practice, and Jackson has also been dealing with a hamstring injury, having missed the last three practices.
None of those injuries project to keep those players out for the start of the season, but will likely provide more reps elsewhere.