San Francisco's starting offensive line has been met with a great deal of adversity early in the year with a key player being sidelined well before the first 2022 regular season game. In spite of new setbacks, the line continues find reinforcements from its young talent.
"I was really impressed with them," head coach Kyle Shanahan. "Just as a whole group—it was a huge challenge as always, going against that team with the personnel they (Los Angeles Rams) have on the D-line and all the different fronts they do."
The injury bug hit swing offensive lineman Daniel Brunskill in the preseason opener, keeping him out of practice with a hamstring injury until Week 4. Then, there was a costly ankle injury to the 49ers All-Pro left tackle Trent Williams in the second half of "Sunday Night Football" against the Denver Broncos. The high ankle sprain he sustained in that game is expected to have him out for an estimated four to six weeks. And most recently, the O-line took another hit with Colton McKivitz suffering an MCL sprain as he stepped in for Williams versus the Rams.
Headed into the team's Week 5 matchup against the Carolina Panthers, sophomore Jaylon Moore is the next man up to protect quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo's blindside.
"Right now, it's Jaylon," offensive line/run game coordinator Chris Foerster said. "Dan would be our fourth tackle going into this game. Blake (Blake Hance ), who's played tackle before and started some games at tackle in Cleveland, he would be the swing tackle going into the game. He is all five like Dan. He was Cleveland's version of Brunskill."
Moore played just seven snaps at the left tackle position in Denver and a week later, put together a much-improved performance against LA. The second-year lineman took over for McKivitz on Monday night, racking up 18 snaps of work on the left side without giving up a sack.
"He worked really hard last week, got refocused and hadn't been called on to play for a while," Foerster said. "Him going in there this week, it was a much better game for him, and we were happy with how he played."
Unlike the past two weeks, there will be no mid-game call up for Moore. This time around, the offensive lineman has had the week to prepare for his upcoming start on the East Coast.
"You almost always have that mindset that you're one play away from being in," Moore said. "Being warm definitely helps, not having to get ready on the fly."
Thursday Practice Participation Report
Did Not Participate:
- DL Arik Armstead (foot, ankle)
- RB Tyrion Davis-Price (ankle)
- DT Javon Kinlaw (knee)
- TE Tyler Kroft (knee)
- OL Colton McKivitz (knee)
- DB Tarvarius Moore(hamstring)
- T Trent Williams (ankle)
Limited Participation:
- TE Ross Dwelley (rib)
- WR Jauan Jennings (ankle)
Full Participation:
- WR Danny Gray (hip)
- DL Nick Bosa (not injury related - resting player)
