The San Francisco 49ers preseason finale against the Las Vegas Raiders is set for Thursday night. Roster cuts to 53 follow shortly after. Then the team boards a plane to Australia for a Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams.
The timeline leaves little room for players to get healthy. Few starters are expected to play Thursday, and head coach Kyle Shanahan has made it clear that Week 1 readiness is driving every decision.
On Tuesday, one position group received news it could not afford.
Shanahan Provides Update on New Addition
Christian Kirk has been out since the final week of July with a calf strain. He has not been on the practice field in nearly four weeks. The veteran wide receiver signed with San Francisco this offseason on a minimum deal to add depth to the passing game.
When asked Tuesday whether Kirk could open the year on injured reserve, Shanahan did not rule it out.
“Possibly,” Shanahan said. “We’ve got a number of guys like that, so we’ve got to see how that pans out here over the next few days.”
A placement on IR would sideline Kirk for at least the first four games. The 49ers have the roster flexibility to bring him back later, but the timing makes the absence more difficult to absorb.
The Receiver Room Is Getting Thin
Kirk’s potential absence is not happening in isolation. The 49ers have already lost Ricky Pearsall for the entire season after he underwent knee surgery earlier this offseason. Pearsall was expected to be a significant part of the room. His loss forced the team to lean harder on the depth behind him.
Mike Evans added to the concern on Tuesday. The veteran sat out practice after experiencing tightness in his groin over the weekend. Shanahan expects him back next week, but his absence from the final full practice of camp meant the receiver group was working with a limited rotation.
Second-round pick De’Zhaun Stribling has been one of the bright spots, leading the team with 11 catches for 109 yards through two preseason games. But asking a rookie to carry more responsibility than originally planned adds another variable to an already uncertain situation.
Final Word for the 49ers
The 49ers signed Kirk to provide steady depth at a position that needed it. Now they may start the season without him.
One absence is manageable. The pile-up is what makes this difficult. Pearsall is gone. Kirk may follow him to the sideline. Evans missed Tuesday. The receiver room looked different at the end of camp than it did at the start.
The next few days will tell the 49ers how thin they are heading into Australia.
49ers Get Injury Update on New Addition Ahead of Season Opener