The San Francisco 49ers have had a troubled offseason, with holdouts and injuries to their star players.
Injuries:
Starting safety Talanoa Hufanaga has still not returned to practice for the 49ers. He is still recovering from a torn ACL that took place last season against the Buccaneers.
Hufanaga is still at least a week away from returning to practice, according to Head Coach Kyle Shanahan.
Hufanaga may be ready for the start of the season, in which case he would likely start. If he is unable to go week one, veteran safety George Odum will fill in for him, just as he did last season.
Christian McCaffrey, one of the biggest stars of the game, will remain out of practice with his calf injury. The 49ers are likely being overcautious with him so he will be ready to go for the regular season.
Coach Shanahan even said that he is not overly worried about him due to his obsession for the game and his work ethic.
Here’s an exchange that Kyle Shanahan had today with reporters that explains why he is not overly concerned about RB Christian McCaffrey missing the majority of camp with a calf injury: pic.twitter.com/YPb40PJw4O
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2024
McCaffrey has been working out on the side, doing sprints and cuts with other players that have been banged up. He will almost certainly be ready to go for week one against the Jets.
Holdouts:
Perhaps one of the most followed stories of the preseason, Brandon Aiyuk is still in the midst of his holdout while we wait and see whether he resigns or gets traded.
Aiyuk has been linked to the Pittsburgh Steelers throughout the last couple of weeks, but nothing has come of it yet. The 49ers have actively been meeting with him trying to convince him to stay in the red and gold.
Another big named player holding out is star left tackle Trent Williams. He has been missing from preseason since late July.
Williams is one of, if not the best tackle in football, and is a key part of the 49ers run game being successful. He is still under contract for three more seasons, but is likely seeking more guaranteed money in his contract.
There has been no real movement in either of these contract situations, according to Coach Shanahan.
49ers HC Kyle Shanahan on the Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams situations: “Zero updates. Nothing has changed.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 20, 2024
Conclusion:
It is important that the 49ers front office and training staff are working around the clock to assure that all of their stars are healthy and under contract going into the season. The 49ers are looking to bounce back from their Super Bowl loss and continue their winning ways.
