49ers’ health improving but contingency in play at right tackle

SANTA CLARA — Cut to a year ago from the 49ers’ camp, Colton McKivitz is now indispensable as their “starting right tackle.”

That is the term coach Kyle Shanahan used Sunday to explain why McKivitiz joined nearly 20 front-line players from suiting up in a 17-7 preseason win at Minnesota.

What does that say about Mike McGlinchey’s recovery timeline from a knee issue that’s sidelined him the past week, since the preseason opener vs. Green Bay?

”It just says he’s not healthy right now,” Shanahan said on a media conference call. “We’re going to test him next week and we’ll see how it is.”

McKivitz, thus, will start Thursday’s preseason final at Houston, along with most who are projected for the season-opening lineup Sept. 11 at Chicago, including quarterback Trey Lance.

By then, McGlinchey could reprise his role as the starting right tackle, so long as his knee cooperates, along with the quadriceps repair that sidelined him after midseason last year.

McKivitz, a 2020 fifth-round pick, was shocked to get cut last year, recalling last week how “I learned the urgency of how quickly you have to learn and adapt and get better in this league, or you’ll find your way out quicker than you can think.”

He spent the season on the practice squad before an emergency start in place of left tackle Trent Williams in the regular-season finale win at Los Angeles.

If right tackle isn’t the 49ers’ biggest health crisis, then it resides among their wounded defensive backs. Expected back in practice Monday, however, were Emmanuel Moseley (hamstring), Dontae Johnson (ribs) and possibly Ambry Thomas (knee). Shanahan said cornerback Charvarius Ward (groin) should return after the preseason finale, but there was no update on safety Jimmie Ward, who pulled a hamstring a week ago.

Others expected back at practice are defensive tackle Arik Armstead (knee), linebacker Curtis Robinson (groin), offensive lineman Jaylon Moore (leg) and tight end Charlie Woerner (adductor).

Casualties from Saturday’s game were wide receiver Austin Mack (hamstring; out a few weeks) and offensive tackle Sam Schlueter (knee tendinitis; day to day).

Quarterback review

Without Lance playing, the 49ers deployed Nate Sudfeld and Brock Purdy in a quarterback rotation. Shanahan’s review of each was positive.

On Sudfeld: “Nate’s done a good job, so I don’t think (conservative passes) have been the case at all. … You want him to make the right play that you call, depending on the coverage that they see and based off of how the pass rush is, based off of people beating man coverage and based off getting the ball to the right spot with the timing of the play. So I thought Nate has had a good camp, just like all the other quarterbacks no one’s perfect, but trying to do it on every play.”

On Purdy, drafted last at No. 262 after four years at Iowa State: “Brock was a four-year starter in the Big Ten and I think that doesn’t get talked about enough, how much experience that is for someone. For him to have that many games under his belt, that’s a lot of football and I know it’s college football, but that’s still a lot of pressure from a freshman all the way to his senior year. So Brock has played a lot of quarterback and he’s come here and hasn’t let the big lights or being around NFL players change that. He’s been kind of the same guy that you’ve seen on tape and that’s allowed him to have a chance to get better.”

Guarded praise

Guards Aaron Banks and Spencer Burford were the only projected Week 1 starters to face the Vikings’ defense, and they did so with mixed results.

“Both of them made some mistakes and then it was nice to see them both come back and rebound there in the second quarter,” Shanahan said.

Another young guard who’s been a nice watch: undrafted rookie Jason Poe.

“Every time he gets out there and has his opportunities he makes some good plays. The plays that stick out to me is how physical he is on the edge when he is pulling and things like that,” Shanahan said. “I think that sticks out to the normal fan, but he’s a competitive guy who goes hard every single play. He’s been doing that since he’s gotten here. And he’s given himself a chance to be in this discussion here at the end.”

Former Pro Bowl safety added

The 49ers are set to sign veteran safety Tashaun Gipson to help address their depth issues at the position.

The team has not yet announced the move, but ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday morning that Gipson was joining the 49ers. Gipson worked out for the 49ers last week during joint practices with the Vikings in Minnesota ahead of the teams’ preseason game Saturday.

Gipson is a 10-year NFL veteran who made the Pro Bowl in 2014 in Cleveland, where Kyle Shanahan was the offensive coordinator. The 32-year-old Wyoming product has played for the Browns, Jaguars, Texans and Bears, starting 132 games and registering 27 interceptions.