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Nick Wagoner
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — The San Francisco 49ers‘ offense will be without two of its biggest contributors — left tackle Trent Williams and receiver Ricky Pearsall — for Saturday night’s showdown against the Seattle Seahawks.
Williams’ absence was expected after he didn’t practice all week because of a right hamstring injury. Pearsall’s is a bit more surprising because he was a limited participant in practice each day despite right knee and ankle injuries.
Tight end George Kittle (left ankle), defensive lineman Keion White (groin) and cornerback Upton Stout (concussion) are active after being listed as questionable. Kittle said Wednesday he “absolutely” expected to play against the Seahawks.
Without Williams, the Niners will turn to Austen Pleasants as the starter at left tackle. It will be Pleasants’ first start since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2020.
On Thursday, Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said the team needed to be smart with Williams, acknowledging the importance of beating Seattle but also recognizing that it’s not an elimination game and Williams will be needed at full strength for the postseason.
“It needs to be possible based off the doctors, and then it’s got to be more on what Trent tells me,” Shanahan said. “I definitely don’t want to lose any players for the following week knowing we’re in the playoffs, but I also look at when you’re playing to play one less playoff game, you can look at that as a playoff game. I know the season’s not over if we lose, but you’ve still got to go play a game the next week on the road if you lose. And you can completely avoid that by winning. So, I see this as a playoff game too. I don’t look at is as maybe that you’d lose him, you won’t have him next week.”
Pearsall’s situation has remained tenuous since he returned from a right knee injury in Week 11. He reinjured his ankle and knee in Week 15 against Tennessee, missed the following week against Indianapolis and then returned last week against Chicago. Pearsall got up slowly after an early catch against the Bears and was able to finish the game but did not recover enough to play Saturday night.
Saturday will be Pearsall’s eighth missed game. For the season, he had 36 receptions for 528 yards. He had four catches for 108 yards in the Week 1 meeting with Seattle. Kendrick Bourne and Demarcus Robinson will step in opposite Jauan Jennings in Pearsall’s stead.
The winner of Seahawks-49ers will claim the NFC West division crown, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a first-round bye.
