SANTA CLARA — Running back Christian McCaffrey took part in his second straight practice Wednesday, yielding more optimism of a potential season debut Sunday when the 49ers visit the Tampa Bay Bucs.
McCaffrey, in his comeback from Achilles tendinitis, rotated into the running back mix during warmups and showed no signs indicating further issues with his legs, though he did use a massage gun to work on an upper leg, which is not abnormal.
Monday’s brief practice marked his first team session in 53 days, to which coach Kyle Shanahan said: “He had no pain, was good yesterday and we’re excited to get him out today.”
What must Shanahan see from McCaffrey to play him Sunday?
“That he’s just Christian McCaffrey and not hurting,” Shanahan said. “If everything goes well and doesn’t get sore in practice … Hopefully he can string three days in a row and doesn’t have any (setbacks).”
Whether McCaffrey gets the full workload like last season’s NFL Offensive Player of the Year role, Shanahan said he could — and might not.
WARD ON LEAVE
Cornerback Charvarius Ward remains away from the team and is in Dallas preparing for Friday’s memorial service for his daughter, Amani Joi, who died last week just before her second birthday.
The NFL, contrary to Shanahan’s wishes, does not offer teams roster exemptions for players on bereavement leave.
“It’s tough, everybody handles things differently,” Shanahan said. “You’ve got to be there for someone. There’s no right or wrong way to (mourn).”
OTHER HEALTH UPDATES
The 49ers’ offense also looks to have wide receiver Jauan Jennings (hip) return from a two-game absence. He will be limited Wednesday, along with wide receiver Deebo Samuel (rib, oblique), kicker Jake Moody (ankle), offensive lineman Jon Feliciano (knee), and punter Mitch Wishnowsky (back).
Moody, after missing three games with a high-ankle sprain, will be back in action Sunday. He’s the only kicker on their roster after Anders Carlson got released Tuesday from the practice squad.
ANOTHER WINDOW OPENS
The 49ers opened the three-week evaluation window for defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos, who’s been on Injured Reserve after September knee surgery. He played 81 snaps through the first three games, totaling just one tackle and one quarterback hit. McCaffrey and Feliciano had their Injured Reserve practice windows open Monday.
GAGE, GIPSON SIGN
Wide receiver Russell Gage was added to the practice squad, a day after safety Tashaun Gipson also was signed to it. Malik Turner was waived in a corresponding move.
Gage played his first four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons before joining the Bucs in 2022. He missed the 2023 season with a torn patellar tendon, and he was cut by the Baltimore Ravens after this summer’s training camp. He has 244 career receptions in 74 games.
On Gipson’s return, Shanahan noted that he hasn’t played this season while serving a suspension so “we just want to see where he’s at. … We’ll get to see him practice this week and we’ll play it from there.”
TRADE DEADLINE SURPRISE
Deebo Samuel, on his Cleats & Convos podcast, laughed off the “crazy timing” of a phone call from John Lynch as the trade deadline neared Tuesday: “John Lynch called me at like 11 o’clock, I’m in the caf, I look at my phone and am, ‘Yo, why is he calling me right now?’ I answer the phone and he’s like, ‘Yeah, man, my daughter is going to be the one running the commercial you’re doing.’ I’m like, ‘Don’t be calling me like that.’ … I don’t think he was thinking about the time of day he was calling.”
Samuel also weighed in on Charvarius Ward’s family tragedy — “People ask if I reached out. Me personally I don’t know what to say. Just tell him I pray for him and hit me up if he needs anything. This is hard times.” — and the Oct. 20 season-ending knee injury to Brandon Aiyuk — “He came in the locker room and I’m going through mixed emotions of ‘What up with me?’ (before his pneumonia diagnosis). I saw him break down and that kind of tore me up. It’s hard because we’ve been playing side by side past five years and watched him grow into the player he is. It’s still hard for me to look around and really my dog is not out here. It’s been different for me.”
NO WORD ON BOSA FINE
The NFL has not yet announced any potential fine or discipline for defensive end Nick Bosa regarding him wearing a “Make America Great Again” cap while crashing NBC’s postgame interview after an Oct. 27 win over Dallas.
