SANTA CLARA – Rookie wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk clearly established himself among the top – if not the top – wide receiver on the field in the first week of the 49ers camp.
But Aiyuk’s short-term status is now uneasy due to a hamstring injury he suffered at the practice on Sunday morning. The 49ers did not immediately provide an update on Aiyuk’s status.
One game after grabbing one of his many passes from 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, Aiyuk ran a deep route to the right as he went up and grabbed his left hamstring.
[RELATED: 49ers’ Richburg likely to begin year on PUP list, Lynch says]
Aiyuk and Kendrick Bourne have established themselves as the top wide receivers with Trent Taylor consistently playing in the slot. The 49ers hope to have Deebo Samuel back for the opener of the regular season after undergoing surgery in June to repair a Jones fracture.
Aiyuk, who selected the 49ers with the no. 25 general pick from Arizona State, has shown an ability to line up in some of the team’s receiving spots. He also competes for a role on special teams on kickoff and point return.
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SANTA CLARA – Offensive lineman Ross Reynolds, who spent all of his rookie season on the 49ers’ training camp, was sent off Sunday for apparent leg injury.
Reynolds, with whom the 49ers signed last year as a draft free agent from Iowa, is vying for a job on the 49-man roster of 53 men as a reserve interior lineman.
“Obviously, it’s extremely difficult to see something happen to one of your brothers and one of your teammates, especially in our own unit,” Judge Mike McGlinchey said after the practice. “Ross is a boy who comes to work every day and kills his ass for us.
“He does everything we ask him to do, or play both guard positions, he has done a lot in this camp. He is a very versatile footballer and he has had some success in this camp so far.”
Reynolds followed up the injury in a period of 11 to 11 late in practice. His teammates on the offensive line gathered around the cart and wished him well before he was returned to the locker room of the 49ers for further evaluations.
“Hopefully it’s not as bad as it looked,” McGlinchey said. “And we can say our prayers for Ross today on Lord’s Day, and hopefully it all turns out OK and we’ll get him back as soon as we can. It’s apparently very, very hard to look like one of our favorite boys so goes down. “
The 49ers did not provide an immediate update on Reynolds’ condition.
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SANTA CLARA – After one one-on-one rep at Sunday practice, Dee Ford called it a day.
The edge rusher once sailed off with Mike McGlinchey, won the rep, and seems to be paralyzed. Coaches worked for a while on his right lower leg, but after testing by jogging on the turf, they decided it was best for him to sit for the rest of the exercise.
Ford, who brings undeniable speed to the defensive line, struggled in his first season with the 49ers’ knee and hamstring injuries. He admitted a few weeks ago that he never felt completely like himself the entire 2017 season.
[RELATED: 49ers’ Richburg likely to begin year on PUP list, Lynch says]
After an offseason procedure, the Pro Bowl defender had described his health at 100 percent. McGlinchey said he had noticed that Ford was “pop” as he had seen before: a “shot from a cannon.”
The team has not released details on Ford’s injury, but a good sign is that he remained on the sidelines and practiced alongside his teammates. Players have a day off on Monday before returning to practice on Tuesday.
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