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The San Francisco 49ers had a tense moment during Thursday’s joint practice with the Las Vegas Raiders. Rookie defensive tackle CJ West appeared to buckle his left knee during a one-on-one pass-rush drill, forcing him to leave the session. Head coach Kyle Shanahan later confirmed that West suffered a hyperextended knee, similar to fellow rookie Mykel Williams, who sustained it earlier in camp. Initial evaluations showed no damage to his ACL, and the team remains optimistic about a quick recovery.
“CJ West hyperextended his knee,” Shanahan said, according to 49ersWebzone.com. “We think it’s going to be all right, but it looks similar to what happened to Mykel last week. His ACL and everything checked out so far, so hopefully, we’ll be lucky.”
The fourth-round pick initially limped off the field before later being seen walking more comfortably. West sits behind Kevin Givens and Kalia Davis on the depth chart and logged 26 snaps in the team’s first preseason game. The injury comes when the 49ers’ defensive line depth is already under strain, making his status a key factor heading into Week 1.
Thursday’s practice also featured several other notable absences. Star pass rusher Nick Bosa sat out with soreness, while defensive linemen Robert Beal Jr. (groin), Jordan Elliott (back), and Givens (pectoral) remained sidelined. Rookie Mykel Williams continued rehabbing his knee injury off to the side, as did Yetur Gross-Matos, who remains on the list of physically unable to perform. The team also had no defensive tackle, Sam Okuayinonu, and veterans Jordan Watkins (ankle) and Fabian Moreau.
In response to their line shortage, the 49ers made moves before practice by signing defensive ends William Bradley-King and Demone Harris to one-year contracts. Both players took part in Thursday’s practice, the 49ers adding immediate help for a unit that has had a series of injuries throughout camp. They hope to share the load and minimize additional injuries.
The team is hopeful West can return as soon as next week, depending on how his knee responds in the coming days. In the meantime, they will continue resting key contributors and closely monitoring the rookie’s recovery to prepare him for the final stretch of the preseason.
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