The San Francisco 49ers control their own destiny following their 28-16 victory over the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. The win extends the 49ers lead in the NFC West race and positions them at the top of the conference in conjunction with the Philadelphia Eagles loss to the Dallas Cowboys on "Sunday Night Football." With four games left in the regular season, the competition between the top contenders is as tight as ever with the 49ers, Cowboys and Eagles each boasting matching 10-3 records.

The 49ers had four defensive players sustain injuries in this most recent meeting with the Seahawks and looked to younger and newer members of the unit to step up. By and large, it appears the team has avoided serious and long-term injuries coming out of Sunday's game as the team begins preparations for another division battle in Week 15. 

Here are the three biggest takeaways from head coach Kyle Shanahan during his Monday conference call:

Shanahan spoke to the approach the 49ers are taking with CB Jason Verrett, who was signed to the practice squad Monday afternoon. 

The 49ers made things official with a familiar face, signing veteran cornerback Jason Verrett to the practice squad. He returns to The Bay area after a brief stint on the Houston Texans practice squad earlier in the year. 

The former 2014 first-round pick first signed with the 49ers as a free agent in 2019 and appeared in 15 games over the course of the last four seasons. He recorded 65 tackles, seven passes defensed and two interceptions in a red and gold uniform. Verrett has worked through back-to-back season-ending injuries, tearing his ACL at the start of the 2021 season and then suffering a torn Achilles tendon in the fall of 2022. He returns to the 49ers as the team navigates several recent injuries to the secondary. 

"Right now, just coming in, being on the practice squad, showing us where he's at and being a part of our team that way," Shanahan responded when asked about expectations for Verrett. "When you're on the practice squad, you're only a couple plays away from possibly being a starter and being out there on gameday. He's going to try and show us he's ready for that moment and give us some depth there once we get a chance to see him."

The 49ers injury list had new names added to it following Sunday's contest:

• DL Javon Hargrave (hamstring): may have a chance to return later in the week
• CB Charvarius Ward (groin): may have a chance to return later in the week
• LB Dre Greenlaw (hip/ankle): day-to-day
• LB Oren Burks (knee tendonitis): likely out for a couple weeks

The head coach shared updates to previously injured players:

• TE Ross Dwelley (high ankle sprain): the head coach said, "We'll see how the week goes."
• DL Arik Armstead (foot/knee): likely to be "in the same boat" as last week and miss Week 15
• OL Spencer Burford (knee): the hope is to have him return to practice this week
• CB Darrell Luter Jr. (hamstring): expected to return to practice Wednesday
• RB Elijah Mitchell (knee): the hope is to also have him return to practice this week

The 49ers expect to see wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr.'s continued involvement in the kick return game. 

The decision to get the wideback in on the kick return game timed out with wide receiver Ray-Ray McCloud III's rib injury, but the head coach mentioned the intent was to get Samuel reps at kick returner.

"It was also a decision we were thinking about going to regardless," Shanahan said. "It's nothing against Ray-Ray or anyone, it was just more ways to get a special player like Deebo the ball in his hands. We have to take that risk/reward every week, and we decided to do it the last two weeks. We'll come up with that decision each week moving forward."

McCloud III, who had served as the 49ers return specialist for the last two seasons, was placed on the Injured Reserve list on Saturday due to a lingering rib injury.