Shanahan believes Aaron Banks and Dre Greenlaw appear to have minor injuries.
Injury status updates for Aaron Banks and Dre Greenlaw
Dre Greenlaw did not receive a full evaluation for a back injury that kept him out of the 49ers’ win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, but coach Kyle Shanahan expressed confidence that Greenlaw would be back soon.
Meanwhile, Aaron Banks will miss the 49ers’ regular-season finale due to ankle and knee sprains, but the team is hopeful he will be available for the team’s first postseason game.
“As bad as both of them (injuries) looked, (we) didn’t know if it would be for the whole season or not,” Shanahan said. “Feel like we got some good news on that so far.”
With 13:11 left in the second quarter, Raider’s linebacker Luke Masterson rolled up on Banks’ leg while he was blocking Raiders defensive lineman Kyle Peko. Banks was replaced by veteran Daniel Brunskill, who played the final 50 minutes of the game.
Greenlaw was hurt in the third quarter after catching a 10-yard pass from Raiders quarterback Jarrett Stidham. Fred Warner, another teammate, attempted to join in on the tackle and hit Greenlaw’s left leg with enough force to bend him backward at an awkward angle.
Greenlaw got to his feet and jogged to the 49ers’ sideline after being checked out by the team’s medical staff on the field, but he did not return.
Greenlaw leads the 49ers in tackles with 127 this season and has been instrumental in San Francisco’s current nine-game winning streak.
Banks started the first 16 games of the season after playing only five offensive snaps as a rookie in 2021. Shanahan predicted that Banks would miss at least one game.
The 49ers (12-4) are currently the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff standings, but if they beat the Cardinals and the Philadelphia Eagles (13-3) lose to the New York Giants, they could move up to No. 1.
If the 49ers win the No. 1 seed, they will have a first-round playoff bye. Otherwise, the playoffs will begin on January 14, 15, or 16. The 49ers are hoping that the roster will be as healthy as it has been all season when the postseason begins.
