49ers Place Ex-Cal Star Mychal Kendricks on Injured Reserve
Former Cal standout Mychal Kendricks, who signed with the San Francisco 49ers last week hoping to resurrect his NFL career, will not be playing for the 49ers this season.
The 49ers placed the veteran linebacker on the injured reserve list on Tuesday, which means he will not be eligible to play for San Francisco this season. The injury that put Kendricks on the IR is a turf toe he sustained in the 49ers second preseason game, when he played just one play.
Kendricks could sign with another team if the 49ers release Kendricks from the IR with an injury settlement, and that is likely to happen. However, it's unclear how much appeal he would have for other NFL teams. It is also unclear whether Kendricks will want to continue playing or will decide to retire.
The 30-year-old Kendricks is a nine-year NFL veteran, but he played just eight defensive plays last season – all in a late-season game for Washington – and that is his only regular-season playing time since suffering a torn anterior-cruciate ligament in 2019. He started 14 game for the Seahawks in 2019 before suffering the injury.
Last month, he cleared up his legal issues when he was sentenced to one day in jail after pleading guilty in 2018 to insider trading charges.
The 49ers signed Kendricks to play for his former teammate DeMeco Ryans, who is now the 49ers’ defensive coordinator. Kendricks does not seem to have a similar connection with other NFL teams.
Kendricks signed a one-year deal worth $1.22 million, which is the minimum for a veteran player who has played seven full NFL seasons. He was to receive $200,000 guaranteed and the cap hit is $866,000.
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Cover photo of Mychal Kendricks i by Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports
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