The San Francisco 49ers improved to 7-1 on the season following a 38-17 win over the Las Vegas Raiders at Levi's® Stadium on Sunday. On Monday, head coach Kyle Shanahan joined a call with reporters to provide injury updates and share his takeaways after reviewing the film from the team's Week 9 victory.
Injury Updates
The 49ers came out of Sunday's matchup with three injuries to monitor, including a significant setback on the defensive line.
DL Gracen Halton (ankle): Suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle and is expected to undergo surgery later this week. Halton will be placed on Injured Reserve.
CB Renardo Green (back): Day-to-day.
DB Deommodore Lenoir (foot): Day-to-day.
When asked whether Halton could potentially return if the 49ers make a deep postseason run, Shanahan said he doesn't expect that to be the case.
"I don't think so. I didn't ask that, but I'd be surprised," Shanahan said.
Shanahan also provided updates on several players working toward a return to practice.
DL C.J. West and WR Deebo Samuel Sr. are both expected to return to practice on Wednesday, while WR Mike Evans is not expected to be ready this week, although the team will continue to evaluate his status.
"C.J. and Deebo, expecting to get them back on Wednesday to at least start practicing," Shanahan said.
Defensive Line Makes an Impact
While the 49ers defense did not record a sack against the Raiders, Shanahan was pleased with the pressure generated by the guys, particularly with DL Nick Bosa and DL DeForest Buckner back in the lineup.
The unit helped disrupt Raiders QB Kirk Cousins throughout the game, contributing to a defensive performance that included five second-half takeaways.
"I thought we hit the quarterback a lot," Shanahan said. "I thought we also rushed really well in some key situations. Buckner got him on the ground a number of times. Keion got him on the ground a couple times."
Watkins and the Wide Receiver Group
WR Jordan Watkins delivered a breakout performance against the Raiders, recording four receptions for 86 yards, including his first career NFL touchdown on a 37-yard pass from QB Brock Purdy.
Shanahan highlighted Watkins' continued development and shared an interesting detail about the touchdown play.
"His touchdown pass, he was fourth in the progression on that play," Shanahan said. "Brock went all the way across the board and got it to him and he made the play."
Shanahan also discussed the progress of WR Brandin Cooks, noting his growing familiarity with the offense and contributions in both the passing game and as a blocker.
"I've been real happy with Brandin and how he's been blocking," Shanahan said. "When the ball comes his way, I think he's done a good job making the plays."
Competition at Safety
With S Marques Sigle returning to action against the Raiders, the 49ers continued rotating their safeties, with Sigle, Malik Mustapha, and Ji'Ayir Brown all contributing.
Shanahan explained that the rotation allows the team to utilize three players who have performed at a high level, with injuries previously impacting playing time for both Mustapha and Sigle.
"We've got three good guys that are playing at a very high level, so you just play that until it plays itself out," Shanahan said.
For now, the coaching staff plans to continue evaluating the group on a weekly basis rather than settling on two full-time starters.
"If two separate themselves way over another then obviously we would keep those guys out there longer," Shanahan said. "But, we'll just keep doing it week-to-week and we'll see what it ends up, but it's a pretty good problem to have."