49ers George Kittle expects to play; Deebo Samuel practices
SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- |A|
Just when it seemed |B|
the San Francisco 49ers |C|
were getting some good |D|
health-related news, that optimism |E|
was tempered by further |F|
injuries. Thursday's practice began with |G|
tight end George Kittle |H|
(hamstring), receiver Deebo Samuel |J|
(calf), left tackle Trent |K|
Williams (illness) and quarterback |L|
Brock Purdy (back soreness) |M|
all on the field |O|
together. It was the second |P|
straight practice for Kittle, |Q|
who didn't play last |R|
week against the Los |S|
Angeles Rams. He said |U|
he's headed toward returning |V|
Sunday against the New |Y|
England Patriots. It also was |Z|
a positive step for |A|
Samuel, who practiced for |B|
the first time since |C|
suffering his injury in |D|
Week 2 against the |E|
Minnesota Vikings. Before Thursday's practice |F|
was through, however, the |G|
Niners watched as linebacker |H|
Curtis Robinson was carted |J|
to the locker room |K|
after suffering a knee |L|
injury during a special |M|
teams period. Later, defensive |O|
tackle Jordan Elliott, who |P|
is in line to |Q|
replace injured Javon Hargrave |R|
in the starting lineup, |S|
suffered a foot injury. "It |U|
sucks anytime you see |V|
a teammate go down |Y|
or anything like that," |Z|
Purdy said. "I'm just |A|
trying to practice, get |B|
ready for this game |C|
and everything and then |D|
you look over and |E|
you see a cart |F|
on the field, so |G|
it's like, 'Dang it. |H|
Who is that? What |J|
happened?' And then we've |K|
got to keep going |L|
and finish practice." Kittle and |M|
Samuel appeared on the |O|
official injury report as |P|
limited participants Thursday, though |Q|
Kittle was bullish about |R|
his status in his |S|
post-practice media session, simply |U|
saying "yeah" when asked |V|
if he was optimistic |Y|
about playing against the |Z|
Patriots. "I'm very excited to |A|
play football," Kittle said. |B|
"I think there have |C|
been some circumstances that |D|
have happened this year, |E|
so we're just trying |F|
to cover our bases |G|
and be as honest |H|
as possible. But no, |J|
I am feeling fantastic." Kittle |K|
was a surprise addition |L|
to the injury report |M|
last Thursday when he |O|
did not practice after |P|
reporting soreness following the |Q|
previous day's session. On |R|
Thursday, he clarified the |S|
timeline of when and |U|
how he was hurt. Kittle |V|
said he dealt with |Y|
lower body cramps for |Z|
the "entire" third quarter |A|
in Week 2, got |B|
an IV, came out |C|
of the game and |D|
then got hit by |E|
cramps again in the |F|
fourth quarter. He said |G|
he was "really sore" |H|
all day Monday and |J|
Tuesday, got treatment on |K|
the injury and "wasn't |L|
feeling right" when he |M|
practiced last Wednesday. An MRI |O|
revealed Kittle had a |P|
grade 1 hamstring strain, |Q|
and he did not |R|
practice Friday and was |S|
listed as doubtful. He |U|
was ruled out against |V|
the Rams on Saturday. "We |Y|
thought I was going |Z|
to be 100% fine |A|
and it just ended |B|
up not," Kittle said. |C|
"So that's how that |D|
turned out." It remains to |E|
be seen just how |F|
far along Samuel is |G|
in his recovery from |H|
the calf injury that |J|
also kept him out |K|
against the Rams. After |L|
he suffered the injury, |M|
Niners coach Kyle Shanahan |O|
said Samuel would miss |P|
"a couple weeks," which |Q|
made his return to |R|
practice -- even on |S|
a limited basis -- |U|
a welcome sight for |V|
the 49ers on Thursday. Williams, |Y|
meanwhile, did not practice |Z|
Wednesday because of an |A|
illness but was full |B|
go Thursday. Purdy has |C|
been a full participant |D|
in both practices this |E|
week. "It was probably cumulative |F|
just in terms of |G|
the whole game, all |H|
the stuff that sort |J|
of went on. It |K|
was a physical game," |L|
Purdy said. "... The |M|
last couple days have |O|
been good, getting some |P|
rest and treatment. So, |Q|
I feel good now." As |R|
for Robinson and Elliott, |S|
both were listed as |U|
limited participants but that |V|
doesn't mean much in |Y|
terms of the severity |Z|
of their injuries. Players |A|
can be listed as |B|
limited for participating in |C|
individual drills but not |D|
team, which is what |E|
happened in Robinson's case. Elliott |F|
appeared poised to take |G|
on a bigger role |H|
-- possibly stepping into |J|
the starting role -- |K|
after Hargrave's season-ending injury |L|
last week. That proposition |M|
is now murkier, though |O|
the extent of his |P|
injury isn't yet known. "Whoever |Q|
goes down we have |R|
always got their back |S|
and we'll be there |U|
for them and continue |V|
to build them up |Y|
and try to get |Z|
them back as fast |A|
as possible," Purdy said.
