OCTOBER 16: Shanahan noted (via Matt Barrows of The Athletic) Warner’s surgery was a hit. A firm recovery timeline remains to be not in place at this point, with Lynch stating during his latest KNBR appearance (h/t Barrows) he’ll soon speak with team doctors on that subject. Surgeons Barrows interviewed indicated a return through the playoffs could possibly be possible, however the team’s stance on Warner’s injury being season-ending has not modified.
OCTOBER 14: The 49ers’ defense was dealt one other crippling blow on Sunday when Fred Warner suffered a fractured and dislocated ankle. His recovery process will begin soon.
Warner is scheduled to undergo surgery tomorrow, Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay area notes. When speaking in regards to the injury, head coach Kyle Shanahan added he expects the four-time Pro Bowler to return to on-field activities sooner or later through the offseason. While a more definitive timeline will rely on the success of the procedure, the 49ers will move forward without one in all their most vital contributors for the remainder of the season.
Over the course of his profession (all of which has taken place with San Francisco), Warner has served as a full-time starter and a consistent high-end performer. The four-time All-Pro recorded between 118 and 137 tackles in each of his first seven seasons with the 49ers, but this injury will cause an absence beyond one game for the primary time in Warner’s decorated tenure. With edge rusher Nick Bosa already sidelined, San Francisco’s defense faces a serious challenge when it comes to keeping the team in playoff contention.
General manager John Lynch has made it clear a trade is being worked on to accumulate a pass rusher able to replacing Bosa’s presence to an extent. It’s going to be interesting to see if the 49ers – who lost Dre Greenlaw in free agency – will add linebacker to their list of positions targeted on the trade front. As ESPN’s Nick Wagoner writes, though, the lack of Warner hinders San Francisco’s probabilities of competing for a Super Bowl in 2025. Parting ways with future draft capital for a rental addition could subsequently prove to be a misstep.
In any event, the 49ers are currently in position to lean on internal options as they appear to switch Warner. That might end in Tatum Bethune taking up a starting defensive role moving forward. The 2024 seventh-rounder has operated as a daily on special teams over the course of his first two seasons within the league. Bethune only logged 51 snaps on defense as a rookie, nevertheless, and his total in that regard sits at 48 after he filled in for Warner in Week 6. The 49ers’ plan regarding any LB moves will probably be based partially on how Bethune fares in his expanded role.
Sunday’s loss leaves San Francisco as one in all three teams within the NFC West with a 4-2 record. Loads of time stays for the team’s season to swing by some means consequently. Ahead of the 2026 campaign, though, Warner’s progress in rehabbing after surgery will probably be a key story to follow.