Heads have already started to roll at the San Francisco 49ers. Entering the final third of the regular season, management appears to be starting an end-of-year cleanup and has let go of one of their most recent additions, receiver Ronnie Bell.
The Niners are going through a frustrating season. After playing in Super Bowl LVIII, the team is in last place in the NFC West Division with a record of five wins and six losses.
In one of the closest divisions in the NFL, San Francisco still has hope of making the postseason. However, that will depend on the good performance of all its pieces, and clearly, management does not think Bell is giving what they need to achieve the goal.
Ronnie Bell’s departure
In a statement on their website, the 49ers announced without further ado that they had released Bell. The receiver was the 253rd pick in the 2023 Draft, and in his two years with the squad, he only participated in 26 games, catching eight passes for 90 yards.
In 2024, he played in nine games with two receptions for 22 yards. Bell’s biggest contribution was on special teams, but even there his numbers were modest. This season he participated in only 13 games in this department, with a peak of six snaps in Week 10.
Bell’s absence could be temporary, as the team could claim him from the waiver list within a week. However, his numbers make it unlikely that head coach Kyle Shanahan’s coaching staff would want to bring the player back.
The ups and downs of the 49ers
“Inconsistency” is the word that best describes the Niners’ season. Quarterback Brock Purdy hasn’t been able to establish himself as the team’s leader, and a couple of nagging injuries haven’t helped his performance either.
The rest of the team isn’t any better, winning the toughest game one week and losing to a relatively easy opponent the next. Bell’s departure won’t do anything to remedy that situation, but it may be a sign of bigger changes to come.
Will Brock Purdy play for the 49ers against the Bills in week 13? Latest injury report
The Bills present a huge challenge for the 49ers in what is a hugely enticing clash.
It was only one game, one slip without him, but more than enough to set alarm bells sounding up and down the coastline. Brock Purdy was absent from the San Francisco 49ers side as they were crushed into something that could fit in a sardine tin by the Packers, losing 38-10 in what head coach Shanahan called “embarrassing”.
“The whole game was [disappointing],” Shanahan remarked. “When you have those penalties, we didn’t stop the run like we did, and we had those three turnovers in the second half. That’s how you get embarrassed.”
For that game, as hinted they were missing star quarterback Brock Purdy, who was absent with a shoulder injury. And charging towards them across the plains are the Buffalo Bills in Week 13 in the 2024 NFL season, a side who look like they can trample, crush and crumble just about any side they set their mind to.
What injury did Brock Purdy have?
The good news is that Brock Purdy will indeed be back for the 49ers after overcoming his shoulder injury that kept him out of the aforementioned drubbing handed out by the Packers. He was hurt on November 17 when the 49ers played the Seattle Seahawks, but an MRI gave good news: no significant damage was found.
The Arizona native took part in what ended up being limited practice on Thursday after not throwing any passes during the warmup session on Wednesday.
“The fact he’s going to play means he’s healthy. Right now, he’s playing,” Shanahan said in a terse response to the question of whether or not the 24-year-old would feature in red and gold. Purdy is officially listed as questionable, but it seems safe to assume that Shanahan’s words usurp a spreadsheet.
As for the other players in the physio room, defensive end Nick Bosa, left tackle Trent Williams, left guard Aaron Banks, cornerback Deommodore Lenoir and defensive tackle Jordan Elliott are all ruled out.
49ers injury report (Week 13):
Out
DE Nick Bosa (hip/oblique)
LT Trent Williams (ankle)
LG Aaron Banks (concussion)
DT Jordan Elliott (concussion)
CB Deommodore Lenoir (knee)
LB Dre Greenlaw (Achilles)
Questionable
QB Brock Purdy (right shoulder)
LB Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (knee)
DT Kevin Givens (groin)
WR Chris Conley (knee)
CB Renardo Green (neck)
Bills injury report (Week 13):
Out
OL Dylan Grable (IR, groin)
TE Dalton Kincaid (knee)
Questionable
DT DeWayne Carter (wrist)
WR Keon Coleman (wrist)
LB Matt Milano (IR, biceps)
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