Shock Javon Hargrave injury update might leave 49ers with no choice but to make another big-time move

The San Francisco 49ers' Week 3 defeat to the Los Angeles Rams was painful enough without the news that came down on Monday.

In his weekly conference call with local media, head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed Pro Bowl defensive tackle Javon Hargrave will likely miss the rest of the season with a partially torn triceps muscle. Also on the defensive side of the ball, Shanahan confirmed linebacker Dee Winters had re-aggravated an ankle injury that kept him out of the opening two games of the season.

Speaking immediately after the 49ers blew a 10-point fourth-quarter lead in a 27-24 loss to the Rams, Shanahan expressed his belief that Hargrave had simply bruised his tricep.

Instead, the injury turned out to be much worse, leaving the 49ers very short of options in an area of the team that has recently become something of a weakness for San Francisco.

"It's a big [loss], and I thought he had his best game yesterday," Shanahan said. "I thought he was a huge factor. Really affected the quarterback in that game and it's a big loss. He's one of our better players and he was definitely going the right direction, was going to have a big year."

Hargrave had been starting alongside Maliek Collins at defensive tackle, with that duo creating consistent pressure as pass rushers against the Rams but struggling to hold up against double teams in the run game.

The problem, however, is the lack of depth behind them. Both Kevin Givens and Jordan Elliott were ineffective on Sunday and Kalia Davis, whom the 49ers hoped would play a big role this season, is on injured reserve following knee surgery. He is expected to return at some point this year.

Though the 49ers have rookie Evan Anderson and veteran T.Y. McGill on the practice squad, the Hargrave news leaves them needing to make a move to acquire another defensive tackle if they are to avoid the interior of their defensive line becoming a liability. 

San Francisco will likely be reluctant to part with much in the way of draft capital to acquire a new starter at the position having struck a series of big-time trades in recent years that have left the 49ers with a top-heavy roster.

But, with many believing this team is coming to the end of its Super Bowl window, the 49ers cannot afford to sit on their hands and allow the middle of the defensive line to become an increasingly large problem. If they are serious about this being another all-in year, the Niners must make a move to fill the Hargrave void.