The 49ers opened preparations for their season opener with an uneven injury picture Monday in Melbourne.
Mike Evans was back on the field after missing much of training camp, while Nick Bosa and Christian McCaffrey remained away from drills during the portion of practice open to reporters. George Kittle, meanwhile, continued his accelerated return from a torn Achilles by participating in individual work.
Evans offered the clearest reason for optimism.
The veteran wide receiver dealt with groin and quadriceps injuries during the summer, adding to the concern created by the hamstring trouble that has cost him games in recent seasons. Evans said his limited workload, however, reflected the team’s caution rather than the severity of his ailments.
“The training staff, they did a great job working with me,” Evans told reporters. “I know I’m an older player. I’ve had probably over a thousand practices, football practices in my life now, so I know what I’m doing out there. They know what they’re doing. They did a good job taking care of me.
“None of my injuries were significant. If it was a game week, I wouldn’t have missed any time.”
That assessment reinforces the expectation that Evans will play against the Rams on Thursday. His availability has become especially important with Ricky Pearsall and Christian Kirk on the injured reserve list.
What initially appeared to be a deep San Francisco receiving corps has quickly placed more responsibility on Evans to give Brock Purdy a dependable outside target.
The outlook surrounding two of the 49ers’ other stars was less transparent Monday.
Bosa did not participate in early drills after spending most of camp managing tendinitis in his surgically repaired right knee. Despite his absence, the defensive end was emphatic about his intentions before the team departed for Australia.
“I’m flying out there, I’m going to f–king play,” Bosa said.
McCaffrey spoke with reporters but remained off to the side once practice began. He missed two weeks of camp under what he described as a planned ramp-up intended to keep him fresh throughout the season. The running back appeared in all 17 games last year, rushing for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns on 311 carries.
Neither absence came with an official designation. Because of the unusual scheduling surrounding the first NFL game in Melbourne, the 49ers were not required to release a participation report Monday.
“Because we’re technically in the future from where we’re from and the Rams are in the present, I don’t have to talk about injuries until tomorrow,” Kyle Shanahan joked. “So I’m not talking about them.”
Kittle supplied another positive development by taking part in individual drills less than eight months after tearing his Achilles against the Eagles. Even if he is cleared, the 49ers could limit his snaps in his first game back.
With Aaron Donald returning to the Rams’ defensive front and likely seeing action soon, San Francisco will want as many of its veteran playmakers available as possible. The formal injury report will provide greater clarity on Bosa, McCaffrey and Kittle, but Evans has already removed much of the mystery surrounding his status.
