The 49ers didn’t get out of Sunday night’s game with the Colts injury-free. Starting strong safety Jaquiski Tartt is out awhile with a knee issue, and head coach Kyle Shanahan said DL Dee Ford and LB Azeez Al-Shaair are both in concussion protocol.
Ford played only 17 snaps Sunday so it’s uncertain exactly when he went out with the injury. His role was already limited while the team tries to maximize him after a back injury robbed him of 15 games in 2020, and now he’s in jeopardy of missing his first game of the year depending on how he progresses through the protocol.
This season Ford has tallied 3.0 sacks, second-most on the team, despite playing 20 or fewer snaps in the last five contests.
Al-Shaair was putting together a nice game before his exit. He played 62 of the 68 defensive snaps, recorded nine tackles, one tackle for loss and a fumble recovery. His 44 tackles this season are second-most on the team.
If he’s unavailable in Chicago, Marcell Harris would likely be his replacement at the Will linebacker spot. The team also has Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles and veteran Tyrell Adams on the roster at linebacker if they don’t want to go with the converted safety in his first year at the position.
