The 49ers’ 37-15 win over the Panthers came with a fairly significant cost on the injury front – an all-too-common theme for San Francisco during their 3-2 start to the year.
Each of the first five games for the 49ers have featured at least one injury to either a starter or key backup, and in some cases both. They already had six players ruled out Friday due to injury with a slew of others awaiting returns from Injured Reserve.
Sunday saw a rash of new injuries, including at least one major one. Here are the post-game updates from head coach Kyle Shanahan:
Emmanuel Moseley (knee)
Moseley went down on Carolina’s second-to-last drive of the game after defending a desperation deep throw by Panthers QB Baker Mayfield. The 49ers CB landed awkwardly on the Bank of America Stadium turf and immediately grabbed at his left knee. Shanahan said the team fears it’s an ACL tear for Moseley, although they are awaiting an MRI to confirm. That injury would end his season.
Update
An MRI has confirmed Moseley tore his ACL and is out for the year.
FS Jimmie Ward (hand)
Sunday was Ward’s 2022 debut after he missed the 49ers’ first four games with a hamstring injury. His debut lasted one play. On the Panthers’ first play from scrimmage Ward collapsed on a run play and exited with what Shanahan confirmed is a broken hand. There’s no immediate word on how much time Ward will miss.
DE Nick Bosa (groin)
This one is worth monitoring closely because it could be a fairly significant issue, and it could also be nothing. Shanahan said Bosa’s groin was “a little tight all day” and that it started bothering him late in the second quarter. After an evaluation at halftime the team decided to rule him out for the rest of the game. He’ll require more tests to determine the extent of his injury.
K Robbie Gould (knee)
Gould’s injury came after he made a tackle on the Panthers’ second long kick return of the second half. The good news is Shanahan said the kicker avoided a significant injury and instead is dealing with a bruise to his knee. That may not necessarily mean he’ll be ready for Week 6 though. The bruise is on his plant leg so any discomfort there could be a sizable problem that requires the 49ers to find another kicker to fill in on the back end of their East Coast back-to-back.
CB Deommodore Lenoir (wrist)
Lenoir briefly exited Sunday’s game and was seen walking to the locker room with the training staff. Shanahan said he had a wrist issue, but he did return to the game. It’s worth monitoring these types of injuries though since problems can persist in the hours after the game ends.
RB Jeff Wilson Jr. (shoulder)
Shanahan said Wilson had a shoulder issue and returned after evaluation. Like Lenoir, this will be worth keeping in mind when the 49ers take the field at the Greenbriar in West Virginia for practice this week.
