With two games remaining in the 2016 season, the San Francisco 49ers now have 14 players on the injured reserve list.
Three more were added on Monday morning with head coach Chip Kelly announced that wide receiver Quinton Patton (foot), tight end Blake Bell (shoulder) and linebacker Nick Bellore (elbow) are all done for the remainder of the season. All three were injured in yesterday’s 41-13 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
Cornerback Jimmie Ward (shoulder), center Marcus Martin (ankle) and nose tackle Glenn Dorsey (undisclosed) were also injured in Sunday’s loss. Their status for the remainder of the season is currently unclear.
Patton, 26, is currently the second leading receiver on the 49ers with 37 catches for 408 yards, both career highs. Bell, 25, actually took a step back from a production standpoint in his second season, finishing with just four catches for 85 yards. Bellore, 27, is second on the team in tackles with 83. All three ranked as below average performers in 2016 according to Pro Football Focus.
San Francisco will likely pull from the practice squad to fill the vacancies. The Niners have arguably the least talented roster in all of football at full strength, and every subsequent injury makes a 1-15 season more and more likely. Should the 49ers lose out, they are guaranteed at least the number two overall pick in next year’s draft.