The San Francisco 49ers haven’t even played a preseason game yet, and somehow their injury report already looks like something you’d expect to see in December.
San Francisco finished Wednesday’s training camp practice with roughly 20 players unavailable because of injuries, an alarming number for a team still more than a month away from meaningful football.
At some point, this stops being normal training camp wear and tear and starts becoming a legitimate concern.
The 49ers know that better than almost anyone.
Injuries have repeatedly played a major role in San Francisco’s seasons under Kyle Shanahan, and 2026 is already beginning with another massive test of the roster’s depth.
The wide receiver room has been hit particularly hard. Ricky Pearsall is already expected to miss the entire season after needing surgery on his PCL, while San Francisco has dealt with additional injuries throughout the position group.
But it isn’t just the receivers.
San Francisco has been dealing with injuries across the roster, including a defensive line that has become increasingly thin during camp. The situation became so extreme Wednesday that approximately 22 percent of the team’s 90-man roster was unavailable by the end of practice.
That’s insane for early August.
The good news is that not every player among those 20 is dealing with a serious or long-term injury. Training camp naturally brings precautionary absences, soreness and minor issues that teams aren’t willing to push.
But when the number reaches 20, it’s impossible to completely ignore.
The frustrating part for San Francisco is that this is a team talented enough to make another run in the NFC.
Brock Purdy gives the 49ers stability at quarterback, and San Francisco still has enough talent throughout its roster to be dangerous. Purdy reportedly looked sharp during Wednesday’s practice despite all the players missing around him.
But talent hasn’t always been San Francisco’s biggest problem.
Availability has.
And if the 49ers can’t get significantly healthier before Week 1, they could enter the season fighting the exact same battle that has haunted them before.
The 49ers don’t need another superstar.
Right now, they just need their players to stay on the field.
