SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers right guard Spencer Burford will miss a few weeks of training camp with a broken right hand.
Coach Kyle Shanahan said Saturday that the team is still deciding whether Burford would need surgery on the hand but estimated he would likely miss about three weeks.
Burford has started 29 games in his first two seasons in the NFL since being drafted in the fourth round out of Texas-San Antonio in 2022. He split time late last season with Jon Feliciano and had a key blown assignment in overtime of the Super Bowl loss to Kansas City last season.
With Feliciano also dealing with a knee injury, rookie Dominick Puni has an opportunity to play with the first-team offense. Puni was drafted in the third round out of Kansas in April and was expected to challenge for a starting job even if Burford and Feliciano were healthy.
“He’s done a real good job,” Shanahan said. “We haven’t had pads on yet, which is always a challenge for guys, especially in protection. But he’s stepped in there, got more reps and I’ve been excited about him.”
The Niners are missing three rookies who are all out with hamstring injuries: first-round receiver Ricky Pearsall, fourth-round running back Isaac Guerendo and fourth-round receiver Jacob Cowing.
Pearsall could return to practice on Monday after getting hurt training on his own before the start of camp.
Shanahan had no update on the status of contract talks with stars Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams. Aiyuk has not practiced as he seeks a long-term contract. He is attending meetings during his “hold in.”
Williams did not report to camp as he tries to renegotiate his deal and is being fined $50,000 for each day of camp he misses.
NOTES: Shanahan said 2022 All-Pro S Talanoa Hufanga could return when the team has joint practices with New Orleans on Aug. 15-16. Hufanga tore the ACL in his knee in November. … The Niners signed WR Frank Darby, who had two catches in 16 games for Falcons since being drafted in the sixth round out of Arizona State in 2021. CB Kemon Hall was waived to make room on the roster. … DT Javon Hargrave got a day off.
___
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
Copyright © 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
