Josh Downs (groin) misses practice Saturday

King apparently picked up a hamstring injury during the Panthers’ Hall of Fame, comeback win over the Cardinals Thursday, a significant hindrance to his chances of making the final 53-man roster out of camp. The injury is expected to sideline King for multiple weeks, prompting the team to list him “week-to-week.” King signed with the Panthers as an undrafted free agent following the NFL Draft and made a strong case to push for primary backup duties after leading a game-winning touchdown drive in the two-minute drill against the Cardinals. Those hopes now are likely out the window with the injury, with Kenny Pickett almost assuredly set to enter the regular season as the primary backup behind Bryce Young. King should stick with the team on the practice squad after signing a three-year contract in the spring. The Panthers are expected to add an additional quarterback to the roster in the coming days.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since being involved in an automobile accident in July, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said that he plans to be on the sideline and coaching when the team faces off against the Tennessee Titans for their preseason opener. The longtime head coach had been away from the team for the first part of training camp as he dealt with lingering concussion symptoms resulting from the crash. Expect business as usual from Shanahan and the rest of the 49ers as they prepare for the 2026 season.

McVay added that he was undecided on whether presumed second-string quarterback Stetson Bennett would play in the team’s first preseason game, hinting at the potential for Simpson to see the bulk of the work against the Chiefs. The team selected Simpson with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft with a clear intent on developing him into an heir apparent under Matthew Stafford, meaning it could be another two years until he takes the field as the starting quarterback considering Stafford recently signed an extension that ties him to the Rams through the 2027 season. Either way, it appears likely that Simpson will get his first taste of play at the NFL level when the Rams face off against the Chiefs Saturday.

The special teams ace missed practice Saturday with what is calling a “hamstring issue,” with the further word on how serious the ailment is. Gifford earned his first Pro Bowl nod for his special teams play in 2025 while also starting nine games for the 49ers. Expect an update from the team in short order.

Flowers apparently avoided significant injury but will reportedly miss a “couple days” with a quadricep contusion suffered in practice Saturday. Camp injuries are beginning to flood in but it appears as if Flowers will be okay following a couple of days off. Entering his fourth season, there is real optimism that Flowers will take another step forward under a new coaching staff, although a career 15.7 percent red zone target rate could keep him from becoming a true fantasy star. For now, treat Flowers as a solid fourth round selection in fantasy drafts that carries elite spike-week potential due to his downfield role.

The news was first reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. Tunsil will be evaluated and tested for injury, but Garafolo says he’s not sensing huge panic about the injury. Still, Garafolo also said he wouldn’t be surprised if Tunsil has to miss some time. Stay tuned as the tests will ultimately show the severity of Tunsil’s injury.

Cousins and Crosby got into it Friday with the 37-year-old quarterback taking exception after multiple hits from Crosby. Cousins got in Crosby’s face and grabbed his jersey as the two exchanged words before it was broken up. Both will sit out practice Saturday, but should be back on the field soon.

Johnson was back at practice after being excused earlier in the week as he handled some personal business. Entering his 14th season in the NFL, Johnson told reporters this will probably be his final season. He cited his family as the primary motivation for potentially hanging up his cleats for the last time after this season. Johnson appeared in only 10 games last year, but was named either a first-team or second-team All-Pro in the four seasons prior to 2025.

Reporters noticed Downs in street clothes on the sideline at the beginning of practice. He’s dealing with a groin injury, according to the team. There should be an update on Downs’ status following the conclusion of Saturday’s practice. For now, it’s not a great sign that Downs is dealing with an injury so close to the start of the regular season, though it’s unclear if he’s dealing with a long-term injury.

Giddens appeared to have the inside track on the No. 2 RB job behind Jonathan Taylor at the end of July. With Taylor out looking for a new contract, Giddens took the majority of first-team reps during minicamp. Now Giddens is out dealing with a hamstring injury and seventh-round rookie Seth McGowan is getting the reps behind Taylor. It could be an uphill battle for Giddens, who the Colts selected in the fifth-round in 2025, once he returns from injury.