49ers mailbag: From Bosa to Garoppolo, where is this season headed?

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The aftermath of the 49ers’ victory Sunday saw the Panthers fire their coach (Matt Rhule) and defensive coordinator (Phil Snow), and it saw this week’s 49ers mailbag fill up with injury-related or championship-dream questions:

How’s Bosa? (@colin_ballin72)

Sidelined in the second half, Nick Bosa was still bothered by a tight groin on Monday and will be evaluated before Wednesday’s first practice in White Sulphur Springs, W.V., where the 49ers are stationed before next Sunday’s game. That, at least initially, seems to rule out a catastrophic issue requiring prompt surgery. Bosa played 26 snaps in the first half, and he pressured Baker Mayfield into a third-down incompletion just before halftime. “If we practiced today, he couldn’t go. I’m hoping he’ll be better through the week,” Shanahan said Monday, echoing injury optimism that hasn’t always come to fruition in his tenure.

Will Jason Verrett’s return be expedited given the injuries to E-man and Jimmie Ward? (@paulmateo707)

Shanahan specifically said postgame that wouldn’t be the case, but, on Monday, he allowed that Verrett would “be our guy” once he can practice more and get in game shape. Verrett’s injury history demands everyone proceed with caution. He is 13 months removed from an ACL tear, and he joined practices only last week. “He’s a very impressive person,” Shanahan said. “He’s gone through bad things in his career he’s continually had to overcome.”

How will the 49ers outlast the Falcons without Emmanuel Moseley? (@jbati_8052)

Charvarius Ward is playing so superb maybe he can single-handedly deal with Marcus Mariota and the Falcons’ 30th-ranked passing attack. But seriously, the 49ers will sift from their 2021-22 draft picks of Deommodore Lenoir, Sam Womack, Ambry Thomas, and practice-squad veteran Dontae Johnson. Thomas is a wild card, in that his first eight snaps this season didn’t come until Sunday’s finale, despite last season’s strong finish to his rookie year. Lenoir tweaked his wrist Sunday but is fine, Shanahan said.

Do we trade for a cornerback? (@ronniez99)

They feasibly could the next three weeks before the Nov. 1 trade deadline. The 49ers certainly should first see how their above-listed youngers respond and how Verrett looks.

Status on Mitchell and Price? (@ko_cheeze24)

Ty Davis-Price is three weeks removed from his high-ankle sprain, so he might return to practice as early as this week. Elijah Mitchell’s looks good in individual conditioning but his knee sprain initially projected his return after the Nov. 6 bye. Meanwhile, Jeff Wilson Jr. and Tevin Coleman are partying in the backfield like its 2019.

Do you have a problem with Tevin Coleman jumping Jordan Mason on the depth chart? @dceeeee24)

Not at all. In fact, Coleman is teaching Mason and others how to best flow in the outside-zone scheme. So says George Kittle: “My favorite thing about TeCo is he’s been in this offense and is very good about pressing the block on the outside before cutting up field. It’s one of those things it takes guys a long time to learn — rookies, especially.

“When you have the speed that Tevin has and the mindset to push blocks before you cut, it makes blocking so much easier for us blocking on the edges,” Kittle added. “It gets them to hop outside and he cuts off your block and it usually ends in a pancake.”

What’s up with Jimmie Ward? (@alexander_hdz559) Why would Ward not play with a club? (@itsmerobertooo)

Ward will undergo surgery today after fracturing his left hand covering Sunday’s opening kickoff in his season debut. “In Jimmie Ward style, he just didn’t want to accept it was broken so he stayed in there the next play, and he finally realized it was,” said Shanahan, noting Ward tried the same tactic before succumbing to a forearm fracture in a 2018 game against Tampa Bay.

Surgery will determine whether Ward can play with a club-like soft cast that Patrick Willis and Takeo Spikes both wore in 2010. Otherwise, Ward could return to Injured Reserve, and players are eligible to come off that list twice a season.

What will Jimmy G’s legacy be if the 49ers win the Super Bowl? (@49nerfan2001)

He’ll earn a spot in the Edward J. DeBartolo Sr. 49ers Hall of Fame, complete with a statue in the museum of him wearing a “Feels Great, Baby!” T-shirt. Maybe that statue should be on the side field he was relegated to in training camp.

If we can get to the Super Bowl again, what happens with Jimmy G next year? (@snyderinc)

Garoppolo controls his own destiny. He has a no-trade clause through this month, and the 49ers can not keep him off free agency with the franchise tag. If he reaches Super Bowl LVII in Arizona on Feb. 12, he’ll set himself up for a mega-payday, from the 49ers or elsewhere.

Is Trey gonna be the quarterback for next year’s team? (@fyp_aden)

That is the plan. And plans change, as we all saw with Garoppolo’s non-exodus this year. Trey Lance is expected to recover from last month’s ankle fracture, but he’ll still have to play catch up, and it’ll be interesting to see if he deviates from running as much.

Not a question but: Dre Greenlaw is an All-Pro when healthy, knock on wood. (@gobluemark1975)

Greenlaw is the 49ers’ leading tackler (30), a year after groin surgery derailed his contract year. The 49ers rewarded him last month with an extension (two years, $19 million). He rewarded a Panthers receiver with a Patrick Willis-type hit just before halftime Sunday.

Is Javon Kinlaw’s health a concern? Availability is the best ability. (@mr.cabrera49)

Absolutely, even if Kinlaw and Shanahan downplayed that last week, saying how setbacks were expected from last season’s knee reconstruction. It makes Bosa’s 20-start, 19.5-sack comeback last season even more impressive.

Are any practice squad players going to be elevated for Week 6? (@fernandop017)

Probably, but here is where it gets interesting: special-teams ace Malik Turner has exhausted his three elevations and must be signed to the 53-man roster to play again. Coleman’s been elevated each of the past two games, so his roster spot could be coming, perhaps at the expense of Marlon Mack, who was deactivated Sunday.

Why do the Panthers stink? (@str4ppzzz)

Monday’s suggested headline: “Rhule’d Out!” Their multi-billionaire owner, David Tepper, fired Rhule just five games into his third season (11-27). The last coach fired the day after losing to the 49ers? It’s believed to be Ken Whisenhunt, after the 2012 season finale.

“It’s part of the business and everyone knows it and what you sign up for. But you know how tough it is on the individual and families,” Shanahan said. “You never wish that on everybody I have a lot of respect for Matt. I know he’ll land on his feet and I hope he finds a better situation.”

Who is hosting the 49ers while they’re on the East Coast? (@ballzzee)

For the third straight year, the 49ers are embedded in the West Virginia hills, at The Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs. A pro-grade facility, complete with multiple fields and coveted privacy, awaits their first practice Wednesday (with or without Bosa).

Love seeing the sea of red (jerseys) at opponent’s stadiums. (@tammieeharaguchi)

It’s always impressive, and pro-49ers crowds have been quite strong the past decade. Among Rhule’s postgame comments: “We kind of came into the game knowing San Francisco travels well. We knew that. But we didn’t have to use silent count or anything like that. I know some
teams that have played them had to. I was just focused on the game and what was on the field. I don’t think it had an impact.”