Kyle Shanahan: "I don't think it's good for anybody to take two weeks off"
49ers coach Kyle Shanahan has decided that quarterback Brock Purdy won't play in Week 18 against the Rams. Shanahan told reporters on Wednesday that Purdy is the only healthy starter who definitely won't play.
Shanahan was asked whether it would make sense to give 35-year-old left tackle Trent Williams an extra bye.
“I don't think it's good for anybody to take two weeks off," Shanahan said. "You should see how Trent was when he came back after a month off or three weeks. It's not good, but we'll see how the game goes and everything. His mindset this week's got to be that he is getting ready to play.”
There's a difference between getting ready to play and playing a full game. It sounds as if Williams will practice and dress and play, but perhaps not play the entire game.
Purdy, for example, will go through a regular week of preparation, even if he won't be playing.
“Brock, we're treating this as a normal week," Shanahan said. "So this is a normal Wednesday at this time of year, which means we go half-speed on everything. We don't do anything full-speed this time of year on a Wednesday. Brock will get half of the reps with the ones. Sam will get the other. I want our team to treat this week as Brock going down on like the first play of the game. Now, that's why I want them both repping it. I want Brock to get some work this week. That's something I'd like us to be ready for if that unfortunately did happen. Thursday when it's all full-speed, probably give Sam majority of them. We'll talk about that after today. Friday, we're back to walk-through.”
The key is to balance injury risk against the chances of rust. If the starters shut down for two entire weeks, it could get dicey in the divisional round against a team that will have played and won the prior weekend.
Still, the players who actually take the game reps in Week 18 need to be ready.
Purdy won't play. It sounds like plenty of other starters will make cameo appearances, at best.
