The San Francisco 49ers have decided to cancel their joint practices with the New Orleans Saints in Irvine this week. Originally, the two teams were set to practice together on Thursday and Friday.
The team opted to cancel the planned trip to Irvine, California, due to the numerous injuries on their roster.
The 49ers cancelling practices with the Saints
“The 49ers and Saints have mutually agreed to cancel the joint practices that were scheduled in Irvine on Thursday, Aug. 15 and Friday, Aug. 16,” according to a statement from the Niners.
Additionally, the team sustained at least one more injury during Saturday's preseason game against the Tennessee Titans, with cornerback Ambry Thomas breaking his arm in the second quarter.
“It's awesome to get a chance to scrimmage versus people. We're a little banged up, so we got to figure out how we can pull that off and stuff like that. It seems like losing Ambry [Thomas] will be tough, hoping a number of other things don't pop up tomorrow,” said Shanahan while speaking to the media after their match against Tennessee.
Thomas sustained a broken right forearm during the game against the Titans and is expected to face an extended recovery period. The 24-year-old cornerback was already on the verge of being cut, particularly with the offseason signing of Isaac Yiadom and the selection of Renardo Green in the draft.
New Orleans coach Dennis Allen informed reporters that 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan contacted him on Saturday. Shanahan cited the team's injury issues when asked about the upcoming joint practices after the 49ers' 17-13 loss to Tennessee in their preseason opener.
The injury bug in San Francisco
Shanahan also mentioned that 23 players were absent from Thursday's practice due to various reasons.
“But last week, we had like 23 guys out of practice the last time that we practiced, so hopefully, [we] can get more of those guys back so we can have a decent scrimmage,” said the 49ers head coach.
In addition to Ambry Thomas, several other 49ers players are currently sidelined with injuries, including Christian McCaffrey (calf), Fred Warner (foot), Ricky Pearsall (hamstring), Jacob Cowing (hamstring), Isaac Yiadom (ankle), Elijah Mitchell (hamstring), Darrell Luter Jr., Patrick Taylor Jr., Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles, Isaac Guerendo, Jon Feliciano, Spencer Burford (hand), Sam Okuayinonu, and Jordan Elliott.
Additionally, left tackle Trent Williams and wideout Brandon Aiyuk are absent due to contract-related issues.
Kyle Shanahan prioritizing health before the season begins
Canceling the joint practice is significant for Shanahan, who has emphasized for years that these sessions are more valuable than the preseason games.
Opting out of the joint practices seems like a prudent choice given the 49ers' injury concerns. Holding these intense, competitive sessions with a depleted roster could heighten the risk of additional injuries, as it would place more strain on the remaining healthy players.
This is especially relevant for the 49ers' starters, who are largely healthy. Additional reps in a joint practice could put them at unnecessary risk.
It’s likely that the 49ers will ease up on practice intensity before their second preseason game against the Saints. Prioritizing health is crucial, especially given the injury issues they’ve faced in the initial weeks of padded practices.
Despite the cancellation, the 49ers will still face the Saints on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium and plan to hold a practice on Monday, though it will start later in the day than their usual 10:25 a.m. practice time.
Follow Us
Subscribe