San Francisco

49ers

The 49ers also listed LB Tatum Bethune (thigh), DL Alfred Collins (hip), DL Kalia Davis (ankle) and DL Keion White (groin) as questionable and are expected to place DL Mykel Williams (knee) on injured reserve. Williams’ expected injured reserve placement, after suffering a torn ACL, will make him the fourth San Francisco pass rusher to be moved there this season. Williams’ 19 quarterback pressures rank second on the team. 49ers LB Fred Warner was placed on injured reserve after suffering a season-ending dislocated ankle injury in Week 6, yet Warner still accounts for the team’s second-highest tackle total (39). Winters leads the way with 53. Rams QB Matthew Stafford should have comfortable pockets this weekend, and RB Kyren Williams could have fairly easy sledding on runs up the middle, 49ers’ questionable statuses pending.

Pearsall will now miss his sixth game of the season. The extremely unfortunate saga continues. Pearsall’s PCL sprain, suffered in Week 4, has kept him sidelined for weeks now. Hopefully, Pearsall can at least resume practicing next week, though we have received no indications from the team or beat reporters as to when he might return.

49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Thursday that a decision on whether Purdy will “suit up” would be made this afternoon. Apparently, that decision is a “maybe,” though only as the backup, if active. 49ers QB Mac Jones will once again serve as the team’s starter. He profiles as a high-end QB2 against the Rams’ tough defense.

Even if Pearsall miraculously practices in a limited capacity, he would be unlikely to suit up. The 49ers’ perimeter wide receiver has not practiced since spraining his PCL in Week 4. He remains difficult to drop, given his early-season successes, but the situation is agonizing nonetheless. Check back tomorrow to see if Pearsall’s fortunes have changed overnight.

Per Shanahan, Purdy is “getting closer to returning.” Just last week, the 49ers decided not to have Purdy active, even for backup duties, after practicing in a limited capacity all week. He remains limited through two Week 10 practices. While Shanahan’s words are encouraging, caution is advised. Stay tuned, tomorrow afternoon.

In early August, 49ers GM John Lynch said he did not “think” Aiyuk would be able to return for the team’s Week 1 game against the Seahawks. Roughly one week later, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan said Aiyuk was “on track to be back around Week 6.” His latest supposition has been that Aiyuk could return in Week 10. Despite Schefter’s report, the team has not yet activated Aiyuk’s 21-day practice window, suggesting he is more than three weeks away from returning. He still has time to return before the season’s end, but one wonders how many games he can reasonably be expected to appear in.

Pearsall’s PCL sprain continues to be a problem. The 49ers’ early-season star has not practiced since suffering the injury in Week 4, and yet, the team has chosen not to place him on injured reserve. Pearsall technically has a chance to play if he can practice later this week, but it seems likely we will revisit his availability on Wednesday, next week.

This is just what Purdy does these days. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters last week that Purdy had a chance to be active as a backup in Week 9 against the Giants. He was instead declared inactive before kickoff. It remains to be seen when he will return, though he will likely need to practice in full, repeatedly, before doing so.

Samuel Jr.'s Carolina visit was reported this morning. He is now up to six visits lined up for the next week, all with teams above .500 in the win-loss column. Samuel Jr. was recently medically cleared after undergoing spinal fusion surgery in the offseason. He is now free to sign with any team and should be back on the field after he gets up to speed with his new squad.

Shanahan added that Pearsall will be “evaluated midweek to see whether he can return to practice,” which is a more optimistic point of view. Pearsall-reliant managers have gotten used to this over the last month or so, but it looks like he’s definitely questionable-at-best for a return in Week 10.