49ers lose 2 more players to significant practice injuries

Updated Jun. 8, 2021 2:07 p.m. ET

Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — The San Francisco 49ers lost two more backups to significant injuries during offseason workouts.

The team announced Tuesday that safety Tarvarius Moore tore his Achilles tendon and offensive lineman Justin Skule tore the ACL in his knee during Monday's practice.

Moore and Skule join running back Jeff Wilson Jr. on the offseason injury list for San Francisco. Wilson tore the meniscus in his knee last month and will miss at least the first six weeks of the season.

Because all of those injuries happened at the team facility instead of when the players were working out on their own, the contracts for the players aren't impacted.

The 49ers have been snakebitten by injuries in recent years, losing several key starters early in 2020 on the way to a 6-10 finish. San Francisco used 84 players last season, the most in franchise history with the exception of 1987 when replacement players were used during a strike.

Moore was expected to be in the mix at safety with starters Jaquiski Tartt and Jimmie Ward. He had been working with the starters during open practices this spring while Tartt nursed a toe injury.

Moore was a third-round pick in 2018 and has played every game the past three seasons. He has been a key contributor on special teams and started eight games last season when he had 52 tackles, one pass defensed, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

The highlight of his NFL career came in the Super Bowl following the 2019 season when he intercepted Patrick Mahomes in the fourth quarter. Kansas City rallied back despite that to win the title.

The Niners signed veteran safety Tony Jefferson earlier this week, and he could fill the void created by Moore's injury.

Skule was a sixth-round pick in 2019 and started eight games as a rookie in place of the injured Joe Staley. He made more four more starts last year at guard and tackle and was in the mix to be the backup swing tackle this season behind Trent Williams and Mike McGlinchey.

Wilson had a freak injury last month when he got hurt getting out of a chair in the locker room following practice and a weightlifting session. He led the Niners in rushing last season with 600 yards and seven touchdowns on 126 carries as mainly a backup to Raheem Mostert.

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