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The Arizona Cardinals have had some injury issues, but it is nothing compared to what the 49ers have dealt with all season.
On Wednesday though, the 49ers announced that George Kittle was being activated to practice from the injured reserve, meaning he could be eligible to play this Sunday if the 49ers choose to go that route.
That is something to watch because if he doesn’t play this weekend, the Niners still have three weeks, or the final three games to bring Kittle back.
That means the Cardinals could potentially have to see the All Pro tight end in their 12/26 matchup.
Of course, I always defer to the fine folks at Niners Nation and one of my close friends Kyle Posey on all things Niners.
Check out what he had to say today:
George Kittle practiced on Wednesday, but he had a noticeable limp and I’d put the odds of him playing Sunday at 12%. The 49ers opened Kittle’s practice window, but they have until the end of the season to activate him, which is something the team doesn’t have to do.
It is also interesting because the prevailing thought is that the 49ers should just hold Kittle out:
Lest it need to be said, at 5-8 overall, it would be a truly terrible idea to let Kittle play again this season. If San Francisco was closer to the .500 mark, barely trailing the 7-6 Arizona Cardinals, this would be an entirely different conversation. Instead, the Niners blew it last week against the Washington Football Team.
Also, Kittle is really good. He increases your chances of winning essentially meaningless games. The Niners don’t have an obligation to go full NBA-level tanking, but at this point, it’s in their best interest to at least sit out banged up, top-performing players. Finish the season relatively intact and nab a better draft pick.
It is an interesting position, but for the sake of the Cardinals, I hope the 49ers heed the advice of their fans and keep the All Pro sidelined to finish up the season.
What do you think?