Williams explains why 49ers injuries can be ‘blessing in disguise’ originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The 49ers are hurting right now, with stars Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel set to miss Sunday’s NFC West clash against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
Matters got worse for San Francisco with tight end George Kittle (hamstring — did not practice), cornerback Charvarius Ward (hamstring, knee — did not practice) and edge rusher Nick Bosa (rib — limited in practice) all popping up on Thursday’s participation report.
But Trent Williams isn’t too concerned. The star left tackle took a positive outlook on the situation while speaking to reporters Thursday in the 49ers’ locker room in Santa Clara.
“That’s next man up,” Williams said. “It sucks. Those guys are the best in the world, but who really feels sorry for us? So it’s a next-man-up league.”
That “next-man-up” mentality has benefited the 49ers in recent years, with Brock Purdy bursting on the scene in 2022 because of injuries to quarterbacks Trey Lance and Jimmy Garoppolo.
This season, running back Jordan Mason is showing he’s capable of being a feature back due to McCaffrey’s calf tightness and Achilles tendinitis.
Williams knows the 49ers have the depth to plug the holes, and that certain players will get a chance to show they can handle more of a load.
“It’s a couple of guys that we want to see get more action anyway,” Williams said. “Hate that it had to come on the heels of somebody being injured, but this is when opportunities present themselves.
“Nobody would have known Jordan if a couple of guys didn’t go down, and nobody would have known Brock if we didn’t lose three quarterbacks in one year. So it’s a blessing in disguise, and guys just got to be ready to step up and relish in the moment.”
With Samuel expected to miss at least the next two games, rookie running back Isaac Guerendo has a chance to step up on kick returns, while fellow rookie Jacob Cowing could see an increased role. If Kittle can’t play Sunday, backup tight ends Erik Saubert and Jake Tonges could see more action.
As banged up as the 49ers are, the Rams are dealing with even more injuries. So as Williams said, no one is feeling sorry for San Francisco.
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