49ers WR Russell Gage sidelined with sprained MCL

Gage joined the 49ers' practice squad in November 2024 before signing a reserve/future contract in January. The veteran wideout previously played for the Atlanta Falcons and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, recording 244 receptions for 2,491 yards and 14 touchdowns across five NFL seasons from 2018-2022.

San Francisco's receiver depth has been severely tested this offseason. Brandon Aiyuk is not expected to be ready for Week 1 as he continues his recovery from ACL and MCL injuries. Jauan Jennings is dealing with a calf injury, rookie Jordan Watkins remains sidelined with a high-ankle sprain, and second-year wideout Jacob Cowing has been hampered by a lingering hamstring issue.

To bolster the group, the 49ers traded for wide receiver Skyy Moore on Wednesday, acquiring him from the Kansas City Chiefs.

The mounting injuries have raised concerns, especially after a 2024 season already plagued by health setbacks. Head coach Kyle Shanahan was recently asked whether the 49ers have identified any underlying causes for the recurring issues.

"It's stuff that we look into every year," Shanahan said. "We'll try to even look into it more after this year. But we haven't even been able to have the training camp that we normally want to have because of the injuries. It's not like they just all happened one week. They happened pretty early with the number of guys.

"And just the way our schedule's gone with our scrimmages, having these games, the off days, and traveling, I don't feel like we've had enough of the training camp practice to say that we're going too hard. But obviously, we have too many guys down, so we've got to look into all that stuff, and figure out whatever we can do better."