San Francisco 49ers Face Growing Injury List During Training Camp

The San Francisco 49ers are dealing with an increasing number of injuries during their training camp. Among those already on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list are running back Isaa Guerendo, tight end George Kittle, and defensive end Mykel Williams. Over the weekend, 21 players were either absent from practice or left due to injuries.

The complete list of injured players includes:

• Kurtis Rourke, QB (ribs)
• Christian McCaffrey, RB (tightness)
• Jordan James, RB (ribs)
• Kaelon Black, RB (adductor)
• Kyle Juszczyk, FB (finger)
• Christian Kirk, WR (calf)
• Demarcus Robinson, WR
• Vederian Lowe, OT (ankle)
• Brett Toth, OG (concussion)
• Dominick Puni, OG (concussion)
• Nick Bosa, DE (knee)
• Keion White, DE (adductor)
• Titus Leo, DE
• CJ West, DT
• Gracen Halton, DT (ankle)
• Luke Gifford, LB (hamstring)
• Nate Hobbs, CB (groin)
• Malik Mustapha, S (hamstring)

The 49ers are hopeful to have the majority of these players back for the season opener against the Los Angeles Rams in Australia. Notably, George Kittle is making significant progress in recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered during the playoffs.

Kittle is pushing hard to be ready for the first game. He mentioned, “I have a chance [to play]. We’re running around a lot, [hitting] top speeds — hopefully, we’re back in pads again practicing sooner rather than later. Just trying to check the boxes and not be a dumb [expletive].” When healthy, Kittle is among the top tight ends in the NFL.

Last season, injuries restricted Kittle to 11 games, during which he caught 57 passes for 628 yards and seven touchdowns. In the previous eight seasons, he played in 14 or more games on seven occasions. Given Kittle’s crucial role in the team’s offensive performance, the San Francisco 49ers will likely avoid rushing him back until he’s completely ready.