Two potential starters for the San Francisco 49ers sustained major injuries during Saturday’s open practice. What is the injury impact, and how will the 49ers replace linebacker Malcolm Smith and guard Joshua Garnett?
Saturday’s open practice provided fans with a number of highlights, but it unfortunately also produced some bad injury news for two of the San Francisco 49ers’ potential starters.
After practice, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan informed reporters that linebacker Malcolm Smith and guard Joshua Garnett could miss significant time due to the injuries they sustained. Later in the day, medical tests confirmed Shanahan’s bad news.
Smith suffered a torn pectoral muscle, and will be out for the entire 2017 season. Smith — who was signed to a pricey five-year deal earlier this year — regularly practiced with the 49ers’ first-team defense this offseason.
Garnett’s knee injury appears to be less serious, but will likely require surgery to repair. Garnett — who spent the majority of the 49ers’ offseason practices on the first-team offensive line — is expected to miss four to six weeks of playing time.
Prior to the injuries during Saturday’s practice, the 49ers have remained fairly healthy over the course of the offseason.
How will these two major injuries impact the 49ers in 2017, and who will replace the team’s two potential starters?
