PHILADELPHIA – Safety Jimmie Ward sustained a forearm injury and was ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's game after going to the locker room for further observation.
Ward was injury during in the first quarter after making a tackle on a 15-yard pass to Philadelphia Eagles tight end Trey Burton. Ward remained down on the field and was taken into the locker room, presumably for X-rays.
Ward has been limited in three of his four NFL seasons due to injuries. He missed eight games as a rookie with a fractured foot. After playing all 16 games in 2015, he missed five games last season due to quadriceps strain and a season-ending broken collarbone.
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Ward did not take part in training camp this summer after sustaining a hamstring injury during the team’s conditioning test. After missing the season opener, Ward started the next seven games, including Sunday’s game at Philadelphia.
Rookie safety Adrian Colbert replaced Ward in the first quarter.
The 49ers featured a new defensive look on Sunday, with rookie cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon starting in place of Rashard Robinson. The 49ers opened in their sub package with Leon Hall playing nickel back and Eric Reid at a linebacker position.
Outside linebacker Eli Harold and linebacker Ray-Ray Armstrong played in place of Hall and Reid in the 49ers’ base defense.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers were hit by an injury on the offensive side, too. Garry Gilliam, who started at right tackle in place of Trent Brown, sustained a knee injury early in the second quarter and was ruled out. Zane Beadles replaced Gilliam. Brown did not receive clearance to play after sustaining a concussion last week.