Some good news, and some unexpected news.
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed reports that Deebo Samuel has a high ankle sprain that should not be season ending. Typically those injuries involve a timetable for return of between 4-6 weeks. The playoffs start five weeks from now.
Samuel teared up while being carted off the field in the second quarter of Sunday’s game, after sustaining what looked like was a serious knee injury on a run up the middle. It’s the second game in a row the 49ers have had a player carted off, losing Jimmy Garoppolo for the regular season last week.
Shanahan offered up another interesting piece of information, reporting that quarterback Brock Purdy sustained an oblique injury during the 35-7 win over the Buccaneers. Shanahan said that the injury was not the reason that Purdy was pulled from the game, but did say it’s possible it could impact his status for Thursday night’s clash vs. the Seattle Seahawks. It was not announced during the game that Purdy was injured.
If Purdy can’t go, that would likely mean Josh Johnson would get the start. Purdy was excellent on Sunday in his first ever NFL start, going 16-for-21 for 185 yards, two passing touchdowns, one rushing TD, zero picks and a 134 quarterback rating.