There are few more difficult gigs in the NFL than playing cornerback as a rookie, and for slot corners, the challenge is even greater.

Nickel corners are tasked with having to defend receivers who can win with elite quickness and the ‘power slots’ and the F tight ends who are frequently aligned at that spot. Preventing receptions is tougher than playing on the outside as slot receivers more consistently work underneath, while there is a huge burden on slot defenders in terms of run defense.

At times this season, it has looked as if the strain of those responsibilities might...

Kyle Shanahan shares final updates ahead of 49ers-Seahawks Divisional Round matchup
“How close is WR Jacob Cowing to being on the field?

“He’s close. He’s healthy. You know, he’s had two good weeks and I think we’ve got one more week with him where we’ve got to make a decision, but he’s looked really good out there.”

49ers shrug off Seahawks’ QB Sam Darnold being listed as questionable (paywall)
“Backup quarterback Drew Lock reportedly took first-team snaps in his place.

Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak was asked how Darnold looked during the session, but deferred all injury questions to head coach...

Initially, the San Francisco 49ers’ defensive coordinator said he hadn’t had any interviews for head coaching positions as of Wednesday. He ended his press conference by saying he wouldn’t interview until Sunday, and the team confirmed that.

According to Tennessee Titans insider Paul Kuharsky, Saleh has a Zoom interview scheduled with the Titans for Sunday morning.

Not so fast.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweeted on Thursday that Saleh has an interview scheduled late Thursday night for the Arizona Cardinals head coaching vacancy. For now, there is no word on whether the interview is virtual or not.

Arizona requested Saleh to interview...

The saga about whether the San Francisco 49ers will have Fred Warner has driven the conversation all week. Kyle Shanahan’s gamesmanship, paired with videos of Warner, has led many to speculate that he’ll play this Saturday.

On Thursday, Warner was seen at practice. The difference between him and his teammates was that Warner didn’t have his helmet, an indication he wasn’t practicing:

As you can see, linebackers Luke Gifford and Dee Winters returned to practice.

Here’s the final injury report:

Out:
LB Fred Warner (ankle)
S Ji’Ayir Brown (hamstring)
Questionable:
WR Ricky Pearsall (knee)
LB Dee Winters (ankle)
LB Luke...

The San Francisco 49ers are facing the Seattle Seahawks for the second time in two weeks on Saturday, this time at Lumen Field as they hope for a different result than their 13-3 loss in Week 18.

That game was disappointing for the 49ers, who only mustered 173 yards of total offense as they just couldn’t get anything going on the ground or even in the air. Defensively, while San Francisco held Seattle to just 13 points, it felt like the score didn’t fully reflect how the game went, with the Seahawks having many missed opportunities in the loss.

Heading...

There is nothing new to break down from the Seattle Seahawks side. They haven’t played anyone since we last saw them, which was only two weeks ago.

There is new information about the San Francisco 49ers. Some good: Fred Warner potentially returning this weekend and Ricky Pearsall feeling optimistic he’d play. Trent Williams’s upgrade to full shouldn’t be swept under the rug, either.

There is also some bad news: George Kittle tearing his Achilles. Kittle remains one of the most impactful players in the NFL, regardless of his position.

During the regular season, the 49ers averaged 4.1 yards per carry...

The San Francisco 49ers head into Seattle to face the Seahawks, who are well rested, but with a possible morale boost as Fred Warner practiced for the first time since his devastating ankle injury against Tampa Bay. The Week 18 matchup for the number one seed was a humbling defeat for the 49ers’ offense as Kyle Shanahan’s group could only muster three points against Mike MacDonald’s defense. To make things even more difficult, the 49ers will be without George Kittle.

So, how do the 49ers maintain their offense and replace Kittle on Saturday? The other burning question is, can the...

The San Francisco 49ers didn’t hold a practice yesterday, but did give out a participation list for their injured players, if there was an actual practice. The one name everyone was interested in seeing was wide receiver Ricky Pearsall. Kyle Shanahan labeled Pearsall as a “limited” participant in Tuesday’s walkthrough. Many viewed the label as a positive sign of his status on Saturday after he missed the last two games, including the season finale against Seattle.

David Lombardi of The SF Standard reports that Pearsall will operate at full speed today at practice and is optimistic he will return Saturday...

Now that we’re full-on into the playoffs, it’s time to stop looking in the rearview with our Secret Superstars series, and start looking forward to the next game with Postseason X-Factors. The principle is the same — using game tape and metrics to uncover those hidden gems for every team who are primed to bring their best when their franchises need it the most.

*The San Francisco 49ers have at least 10 different hidden gems you could mention in a season where so much has gone wrong in an injury sense, and nearly everything has come up roses in a...

49ers’ Warner back at practice. ‘Fred is different from anybody else’ (paywall)
“He appeared to run and jump with an intensity his peers have grown accustomed to mimicking. His presence alone injected energy and fresh stakes for a team beginning to realize it may be one win away from seeing the perennial All-Pro linebacker, who also happens to be the longest active 49ers team captain, call tails at the pregame coin toss.

“I just think the fact that Fred even has a jersey on, less than 100 days after what happened to him,” Trent Williams said, “that just uplifts the...

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall told reporters that he is optimistic about playing this Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks. Pearsall said he planned to practice in full.

Pearsall’s gait looks good, and seeing him change direction and get in and out of his breaks without any hitch or issue is a sign that he will play after missing the previous two weeks.

Pearsall had 108 yards in Week 1 against Seattle. In the final two games he played during the regular season, Pearsall had 96 and 85 receiving yards. In those three games, he had at least seven...

The San Francisco 49ers opened up the practice window for star linebacker Fred Warner to return from injury this week, giving him the opportunity to go through walkthroughs and get on the field as he tries to come back from a dislocated and fractured ankle.

Now, head coach Kyle Shanahan said Warner is not expected back this week and that the hope is he can return should the 49ers advance to the NFC Championship Game, which felt like the initial earliest timeline for the star anyway.

It will be a decision purely up to the doctors, although Warner mentally feels...