The 49ers are dealing with a long list of injuries and no one would argue that’s where the team wants to be heading into a Week 3 matchup with the Rams.
One veteran member of the team believes dealing with absences could help the team in the long run. Left tackle Trent Williams cited the rise of quarterback Brock Purdy to the starting lineup while saying there can be “a blessing in disguise” when players are forced into the lineup because they can show they belong.
“It’s just the next man up,” Williams said, via 49ersWebzone.com. “It sucks. These guys are the best in the world, but who really feels sorry for us? So it’s a league where you are the next man to impose yourself. Those are two guys we’d like to see play more anyway. I hated that it came right after someone got hurt, but that’s where the opportunities come.
Williams could point to Jordan Mason in addition to Purdy as an example of what he’s talking about. The running back has 247 yards and two touchdowns in two games in place of Christian McCaffrey, and the 49ers would welcome similar production from other backups in the coming weeks.
