JANUARY 6: The 49ers are set to get some depth help in the last week of the season as they are expected to activate Mitchell for Sunday’s regular season finale against the Cardinals, according to Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports. Mitchell will immediately return to his role as the primary backup running back behind McCaffrey.
With Samuel also expected to play this weekend, the San Francisco offense immediately becomes much more formidable, even if the team was able to thrive in the absence of two of their offensive stars from last season. Discounting the pair of quarterbacks on IR, the 49ers are becoming the picture of health on offense as they roll into the postseason.
JANUARY 4: For the second time this season, the 49ers designated Elijah Mitchell to return from IR. The second-year running back made his return to practice Wednesday.
Mitchell has gone through a complicated year, one filled with transactions and a notable role change. But the 49ers have made Mitchell’s return a priority to the point they have saved their final IR activation for their sixth-round find.
Entering the season as San Francisco’s starter, Mitchell did not make it through Week 1 unscathed. The Louisiana alum suffered a sprained MCL that ended up keeping him out two months. After that lengthy rehab odyssey, Mitchell returned to supplement new RB1 Christian McCaffrey. The 49ers’ McCaffrey-Mitchell plan was working, only Mitchell sustained a second MCL sprain that sidelined him to this point.
Mitchell faced a six- to eight-week timetable to return from his second MCL setback this year; it looks like he will hit the early part of that window. The 49ers took advantage of the NFL’s IR change this offseason, which allows teams to activate a player off the injured list twice.
Last season, Mitchell surprised most by becoming San Francisco’s go-to back. He leapfrogged third-round rookie Trey Sermon quickly and finished the season with 963 rushing yards and five touchdowns, doing so despite missing six games with an assortment of injuries. Mitchell’s early-career track record does not present much confidence he can stay healthy, but he has been effective when on the field this season. Mitchell is averaging 5.6 yards per carry in his sophomore slate.
A report last week indicated Michell and Deebo Samuel were on the verge of returning. Samuel, who is finishing off a recovery from an MCL sprain and an ankle injury, returned to practice last week but was held out. The 49ers did not place Samuel on IR, giving him the freedom to return at any point. Mitchell being activated would end Hassan Ridgeway‘s season. Ridgeway suffered a pectoral injury in December. The 49ers had used Ridgeway as a fill-in starter at defensive tackle but had held their final IR-return spot for Mitchell. Should the plan come to fruition, Mitchell will be the eighth and final 49er activated off IR in what has been another eventful season on the injury front for the team.
Samuel and Mitchell returning will obviously stand to help the 49ers, who can clinch the NFC’s No. 2 seed with a win over the Cardinals. San Francisco needs to win and Philadelphia to lose — to the Giants, who have nothing to play for, as they are locked into the No. 6 spot — to earn the No. 1 seed. But the two skill-position cogs being ready for the playoffs will be a boon for San Francisco’s Super Bowl hopes.
I just hope and pray the 49ers can actually somewhat remain healthy for the remainder of the season and the playoffs.
Every team has injuries, so they aren’t an excuse, but it really seems like SF gets hits the hardest each and every year.
Most of the time they’ve been able to use their quality depth to stay afloat and remain competitive, but it would be really nice, even if it is for only one season, to see what this roster can accomplish when they’re firing on all cylinders and mostly everyone is healthy.
Due to injuries to Lance and Jimmy G., we will never know what either QB could have done steering this ship into the playoffs, but Brock Purdy has done an adequate enough job to keep the 49ers among the NFC favorites..
All in all, they’re still down to their 3rd string QB, they’ve still been without their best corner opposite Mooney Ward, Greenlaw, Deebo, Givens, Banks, Kinlaw, and Bosa are all still banged up, and they still have some injuries along the interior of their DL with Givens, Davis, and Ridgeway being out, but this will be the healthiest this team has been ALL YEAR!!
A three headed monster at RB with CMC, Mitchell, and Mason to couple with Kittle, Juice, Deebo, Aiyuk, Jennings, Ray-Ray, and Gray should be more than enough weapons for Brock Purdy to continue rolling along and making countless key plays in big moments.
That is especially true when you consider the fact that Purdy will be operating behind one of the league’s best Offensive Lines this year. Most “experts”, beat writers, and fans alike all thought the OL would be the 49ers biggest weakness this season, but Kyle and Lynch did an excellent job targeting some key pieces in the last two drafts in LG Aaron Banks and RG Spencer Burford.
For the record, yes, that is the same Banks that most 49ers fans were calling a major bust and a waste of a draft pick..And that is this uears 4th Round draft steal out of UTSA, Spencer Burford..
Banks is dealing with an injury, so he may be out for the week, but even so Brunskill should be able to step in nicely between Big Trent and Jake Brendel. EVERYONE said the 49ers had to get a replacement for Alex Mack once he retired, but Kyle and Lynch stood their ground and believed that journeyman Jake Brendel could get the job done, and man has he EXCELLED and exceeded everyone’s expectations!!
Basically working between two rookies in Banks and Burford, Brendel has been a steadying force for this team and this OL all season. Big Trent, Aaron Banks, Spencer Burford, Jake Brendel, Mike McGlinchey, and super backup/Aaron Donald’s kryptonite, Daniel Brunskill, and even Jaylon Moore have all combined to gel and somehow have managed to make this one of the best OLs in the league.
Despite each member missing time this year except Brendel, the 49ers Offensive Line has managed to just continue getting better and better as the season has progressed. That alone should be a scary thought for anyone who comes up against the 49ers in the playoffs, especially if ALL their weapons are finally healthy all at the same time for the first time this season!!
Kyle Shannahan and especially John Lynch don’t get NEARLY enough credit for the excellent job they’ve done turning this team into a perennial contender. They’ve managed to somehow stack this roster up and down with extremely talented players, and it is going to be a real treat getting to watch this team finally be even remotely healthy!! Cannot wait!!
Between the job they’ve done identifying, acquiring, and developing their talent I cannot see how anyone could say that the 49ers aren’t one of the best ran organizations.
Between John Lynch, HC Kyle Shannahan, DC DeMeco Ryans, RB Coach Bobby Turner/Anthony Lynn, and DL Coach Kyle Kocurek among a few others, the 49ers have the best group of all-around coaches in the league…