San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Richie James Jr. was already going through a rough patch in training camp. Unfortunately for James, things are about to get even worse.
On Friday afternoon, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan revealed that James suffered a knee injury that’ll require surgery. He’s expected to miss the next six weeks because of this injury.
Shanahan also announced that Travis Benjamin would take over punt return duties for the 49ers during James’ absence.
This is a tough pill to swallow for James. His spot on the 49ers’ 53-man roster might be safe since he’s an asset on special teams, but he needed the extra reps at wide receiver in training camp.
WR Richie James suffered a knee injury that will require surgery. Is likely to miss 6 weeks, per Kyle Shanahan.#49ers
— Keiana Martin (@KeianaMartinTV) August 27, 2021
James, a former seventh-round pick, is entering the final year of his rookie contract. The 49ers were hoping that he’d finally have a breakout year, but those plans may have to change because of this injury.
In 2020, James had 23 receptions for 394 yards and a touchdown. He has all the physical tools to be a playmaker in Shanahan’s system. The downside, however, is that his hands just haven’t been that steady since entering the NFL.
Hopefully, James can make a full recovery from this knee injury and make an impact for San Francisco later this year.
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