SANTA CLARA – Brock Purdy and other available starters will get preseason action Sunday when the 49ers host the New Orleans Saints.
So, who else is available?
Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains a bystander at practice amid his contract stalemate. Left tackle Trent Williams still has not reported 25 days into camp. And injuries continue to mount, with left guard Aaron Banks the latest to join that list.
Banks missed Friday’s practice to have surgery on a fractured pinkie, a day after he also appeared to tweak a knee while blocking. He is expected to recover in time for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener against the New York Jets, coach Kyle Shanahan said.
Shanahan intends to play his first-string units for a series or two, after almost all starters sat out Saturday’s 17-13 preseason-opening loss at Tennessee.
“Right now we plan on Brock going, but that could change,” Shanahan added.
Purdy did not play in the preseason opener, where Brandon Allen played the first half and Josh Dobbs the second half; Shanahan said he has not informed those players if the backup order will be flipped this game.
Other regular-season starters likely not playing Sunday because of injuries: running back Christian McCaffrey (calf), and right guards Jon Feliciano (knee) and Spencer Burford (hand).
AIYUK, WILLIAMS STATUS
Brandon Aiyuk, wearing a red cap and shirt, watched down the sideline for a third straight day. Why has there not been a resolution to his contract stalemate? “I wish I knew. I wish I knew,” general manager John Lynch told KNBR 680-AM, with an uncomfortable laugh.
Aiyuk has not participated in any of the 17 practices. He is staging a “hold-in,” which Shanahan noted is “how the league works right now. Usually when you have a hold-in, guys are hurt and can’t do something. … B.A. has a sore back right now and it is what it is.”
As for Williams’ holdout, Shanahan expressed optimism: “We have to work out a contract thing and, I haven’t talked to him, but I think we’ll be able to work that out.”
Shanahan is preparing to have both Aiyuk and Williams — and preparing in case they don’t arrive. “We’ve got big plans for Trent at tackle. We’ve got big plans for B.A.,” Shanahan said. “But just as easy as a contract holding them out they also can also come and get hurt the first day and not have them the rest of the year.”
HUFANGA CLEARS HURDLE
Safety Talanoa Hufanga gained medical clearance Thursday for the next step in his recovery from last November’s anterior cruciate ligament tear. Hufanga attended and watched practice Friday but did not suit up for it. “We can push him harder, not against players but in terms of football steps and dynamic cuts,” Shanahan said.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, another injured defensive starter, is apparently progressing well in his Achilles recovery. He watched all of practice and even went through the motions by a blocking sled before shadowing linebackers in warmups.
BACKUPS STEP FORWARD
Banks wasn’t the only guard sidelined. So were Jon Feliciano (knee), Spencer Burford (hand) and Ben Bartch (knee). Thus, Nick Zakelj filled in on the first string, followed by Jarrett Kingston and Lewis Kidd.
Defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave did not practice; Bosa watched, often chatting next to assistant head coach Brandon Staley. Yetur Gross-Matos and Jordan Elliott moved up to first-string duty.
With Isaac Yiadom (ankle) restricted to individual conditioning, rookie Renardo Green played right cornerback in nickel situations, with Deommodore Lenoir sliding inside to cover the slot.
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PLAY-CALLING DUTIES
Shanahan will not reclaim full play-calling duties Sunday, after allowing pass-game specialist Klay Kubiak to make the calls in last Saturday’s game. Shanahan said he’ll probably call some but not all plays against the Saints, with the caveat he has not totally decided.
PRACTICE OBSERVATIONS
Rookie Jacob Cowing enjoyed another strong day as both a receiver and returner ahead of Sunday’s pro debut. … Deommodore Lenoir cut in front of Deebo Samuel to intercept a Brock Purdy pass; Purdy completed a 25-yard throw to Jauan Jennings on a similar looking play later in practice. … Jordan Mason, Cody Schrader, Matt Breida and Ke’Shawn Vaughn continue to handle the running back chores in place of McCaffrey, Elijah Mitchell (hamstring), Isaac Guerendo (hamstring) and Patrick Taylor (foot). … Linebacker Curtis Robinson delivered the hit of the day on Vaughn. … Neither Purdy nor Allen led the 49ers to touchdown drives in two-minute drills, with each drive curiously halted before they had a shot at breaching the 10-yard line.
