49ers running back Matt Breida and linebacker Fred Warner won’t participate in OTAs according to head coach Kyle Shanahan.
Perhaps the biggest silver lining is the fact Breida won’t need surgery to mend the chest injury.
He dealt with multiple injuries throughout the 2018 season, including an ankle injury that limited him to 14 games. Breida still had a very good year despite the injuries with 814 yards and three touchdowns on 153 carries.
Injuries in the backfield were part of the reason San Francisco signed free agent running back Tevin Coleman over the offseason. Jerick McKinnon tore his ACL before last season, leading the 49ers to lean on Raheem Mostert and undrafted free agent Jeff Wilson Jr.
Starting OTAs injured isn’t an ideal situation for a player looking to take a step forward following a season where he battled injuries throughout. However, the fact he’s on track to participate in training camp should put him in a position to compete in a crowded 49ers backfield.
Warner is coming off a big rookie season where he secured the starting MIKE linebacker job out of training camp. He was a force in coverage and drew rave reviews from defensive coordinator Robert Saleh for his high football IQ.
The third-round pick by far led the 49ers defense in total snaps last season, amassing 1,060 to account for about 99 percent of their defensive plays. While it’s not a disaster for San Francisco, having Warner out isn’t ideal with presumed starting WILL linebacker Kwon Alexander already recovering from a torn ACL.
A silver lining in the banged up linebacking corps is that Warner and Alexander’s absences opened the door for rookie fifth-round pick Dre Greenlaw to get some work with the first-team defense.
That doesn’t carry as much weight in OTAs as it does in training camp, but the experience is valuable nonetheless. Greenlaw may wind up competing for the starting job out of camp if Alexander isn’t cleared to play by Week 1.
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