The San Francisco 49ers seem to have layers upon layers of injury issues — ones we know about and ones we find out about on the fly. It’s a lot to keep up with but it hasn’t prevented them from starting the season 2-0 headed into Week 3 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The latest injury news falls directly into the category of things we did not know were going on.
“49ers placed DT C.J. West on injured reserve,” ESPN’s Nick Wagoner wrote on his official X account on Wednesday. “49ers coach Kyle Shanahan says C.J. West went on IR with a bone chip in his knee. West will need surgery. Not a season-ending injury.”
“Surprise: 49ers place DT C.J. West on IR,” The San Francisco Standard’s David Lombardi wrote on his official X account on Wednesday.
“The 49ers today put DT CJ West on IR,” The Athletic’s Matt Barrows wrote on X. “They signed DT Naquan Jones to a one-year deal and added WR Brandin Cooks and DL Viliami Fehoko Jr. to the practice squad. They cut NCB Jakob Robinson from the practice squad.”
49ers Used 2025 4th-Round Pick on CJ West
West was an All-MAC selection at Kent State before transferring to Indiana University for his final college season in 2024, where he was named All-Big Ten as helped lead the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff for the 1st time.
The 49ers selected him in the 4th round (No. 113 overall) of the 2025 NFL Draft.
NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein had West projected as a 6th-round pick.
“Fifth-year senior with three seasons as a full-time starter at Kent State and one at Indiana,” Zierlein wrote in his pre-draft evaluation. “West benefited from an extremely active, gaming front that created playmaking opportunities, but he also did the dirty work inside that scheme. He plays with adequate hand and foot quickness and is quick to diagnose the play. A lack of length and leverage at the point of attack might tie him to a one-gapping scheme as a pro. The sack totals are light, but he has enough athletic ability to compete as a rusher on single blocks. West has Day 3 value as a likely three-technique backup.”
Young DTs Missing for 49ers Early in Season
The 49ers suffered a devastating blow when 6-foot-5, 332-pound starting defensive tackle Alfred Collins — who seemed poised for a breakout season — suffered a season-ending torn patellar tendon at practice in Melbourne, Australia, ahead of the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
The injury for Collins was season-ending “Collins was slated to start next to Osa Odighizuwa at defensive tackle in Friday’s season opener against the Rams in Australia,” The Athletic’s Matt Barrows wrote on September 9. “Fellow second-year player CJ West likely will step into that role now, with rookie Gracen Halton also playing significant snaps.”
San Francisco 49ers Place 6-foot-1, 316-Pound Starter on Injured Reserve