The San Francisco 49ers in Week 5 may have to do something they’ve only had to do one other time in the last seven seasons: play without linebacker Fred Warner.
Warner injured his ankle late in the first half of the 49ers’ Week 4 win over the New England Patriots. He didn’t return to action in that game, then missed the first two days of practice leading up to a Week 5 matchup with the Arizona Cardinals.
There’s still a chance Warner is able to suit up, but defensive coordinator Nick Sorensen said the team is preparing as though they won’t have their three-time All-Pro roaming the second level.
“Yeah, it’s not really counteract, it’s just next man up,” Sorensen said. “You’ll never fully replace Fred. Not saying we are, it’s just, the next guy’s got to practice and he’s got to operate. We’ve had some injuries. There’s adversity and there’s opportunity. So with that, the next guy gets a chance and they step up and you saw that even losing (DT Javon) Hargrave. We’ve had guys step in and (LB De’Vondre) Campbell play and not having (LB Dre Greenlaw) Law. Like you just asked about Malik Mustapha playing without having (SS Talanoa Hufanga) Huf, Huf’s played one game. So guys get opportunities and we expect them to perform and they expect themselves to, too. So at practice, that’s really where you get those reps and hone your skills. And with Fred and without Fred you’ve got to communicate and guys are doing that.”
It’s unclear exactly how the 49ers will replace Warner if he can’t go.
Campbell may be a factor at the Mike LB spot. LB Dee Winters has also started working in with the starters as a Will LB. He’s a candidate to jump into the lineup even if it is Campbell at MLB. Rookie Tatum Bethune is another option to jump into a starting role. It appears Campbell and Winters would be the two frontrunners to be the three-down players though.
It doesn’t seem likely recently-re-signed second-year LB Jalen Graham will factor in with the starting group, although with veteran Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles dealing with an injury and missing Thursday’s practice, the 49ers may not have a ton of choice with Graham. DaShaun White is the lone practice squad option. He may be elevated for the game, but he won’t likely see the field defensively.
Ideally the 49ers won’t need to rely on their LB depth, but getting by without starters has defined their season on both sides of the ball so far. Sunday they may once again need to lean on their ‘next man up’ mentality.
