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Aiyuk not only practiced on Thursday, but shed his blue non-contact jersey according to ESPN’s Nick Wagoner. With Deebo Samuel (ribs) sidelined to start the week, Aiyuk returning to action is all the more important for the 49ers. Aiyuk appears to be trending in the right direction heading into Week 4’s matchup against the Cardinals. If Samuel is unable to go, Aiyuk would have high-end WR2 upside.

Samuel was ruled day-to-day by head coach Kyle Shanahan after the 49ers Week 3 win over the Giants, but Samuel has yet to participate in either of the team’s first two practices to open this week. If he’s unable to log a limited session on Friday, Samuel will be considered questionable at best heading into the weekend. We’ll check back in on Friday to see how the team lists him heading into Week 4. The team also listed Jauan Jennings as limited with a shoulder injury.

Deebo suffered the rib injury in the 49ers’ Thursday win over the Giants. He played through the issue and Kyle Shanahan called him day-to-day after the game. This is the first we have heard of the knee issue. Deebo still has time to get back on the practice field, but he will need to get upgraded to a limited session soon if he plans to play on Sunday versus the Cardinals. Jauan Jennings also missed practice. He is dealing with a shoulder injury.

Aiyuk was held out of the 49ers’ Thursday game versus the Giants, but the long turnaround to his Week 4 matchup with the Cardinals on Sunday should allow him to get back on the field. A limited practice to open the week is a step in the right direction. Deebo Samuel is dealing with a rib injury, so it’s possible there is more work available for Aiyuk in a great matchup versus Arizona.

Samuel took a hard shot to the ribs in the 49ers’ Week 3 win over the Giants and briefly exited the contest. He returned to finish out the day, but was ruled as being day-to-day by Kyle Shanahan the day after the game. X-Rays were negative for fractured ribs, so Samuel is likely dealing with bruising and soreness. He should have plenty of time to get right for Week 4 against the Cardinals, and could be taking things light before ramping things up on Wednesday.

Aiyuk was sidelined for Thursday night’s contest against the Giants, but was back on the field to open the week. Aiyuk has had some extra time to rest his shoulder, which he injured in Week 2 against the Rams, and should have a good chance of playing in Week 4 against the Cardinals. Aiyuk will be a high-end WR3 in that matchup if he’s able to go.

The low sprain gives Greenlaw a chance to play in Week 4 with the 49ers coming off a Thursday night game. Greenlaw has been one of the 49ers leading tacklers with 22 tackles through three weeks. Rookie Dee Winters is listed as Greenlaw’s backup.

The 49ers announced the extensions of Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan at the same time. Though Lynch has made a number of head-scratching picks in the draft, he has always found a way out of the holes he dug for himself. For Trey Lance, his most infamous pick that also featured a trade of multiple first-round selections, the life raft was hitting on Brock Purdy with the final pick in the draft. Lynch has also assembled an elite core of pass-catching weapons for Purdy with players tailored to his skill set and Kyle Shanahan’s scheme around every corner. A Super Bowl victory has eluded the duo for seven years, but they have been tantalizing close numerous times, including a Super Bowl berth and a pair of NFC Championship losses. Sitting at 3-0 to start the 2023 season, the hope will be that Purdy is just good enough to get the team over the hump.

The move was announced as a multi-year extension, though no concrete details have been leaked yet. Keeping Shanahan under contract is a no-brainer for the 49ers. Three games into his seventh season as the boss in San Francisco, Shanahan is 55-46 with 22 of his losses coming in his first two seasons. He has mounted successful seasons with a rotating cast of quarterbacks at his disposal and is widely thought of as one of the greatest offensive minds the league has ever seen. General manager John Lynch was also extended, keeping the band together for years to come.

Deebo suffered the rib injury during San Francisco’s Week 3 game against the Giants on Thursday. He played through the issue and even secured a 27-yard score in the fourth quarter to put New York away. Per Shanahan, Deebo is sore but did not suffer any broken or fractured ribs. It sounds like the mini-bye will allow Samuel to play through the rib injury in Week 4 against the Cardinals.