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MELBOURNE, Australia — The San Francisco 49ers suffered another major blow to their defensive line when second-year player Alfred Collins tore his patellar tendon in Tuesday’s practice, an injury that will knock him out for the season.
Collins, a second-round pick in 2025, became the hero of last year’s Week 5 game against the Los Angeles Rams when he knocked the ball out of running back Kyren Williams’ grip at the goal line. The 49ers held on to win 26-23 in overtime.
“It happened yesterday right before the period where we started going against each other,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said Wednesday about Collins’ injury. “It was real unfortunate for him.”
The 49ers already were light along the defensive line.
Last year’s top draft pick, Mykel Williams, began the season on the PUP list as he continues to recover from last year’s ACL tear. Last week, defensive end Sam Okuayinonu broke his foot in practice, which threatens to knock him out for the season. Undrafted rookie Mikail Kamara, meanwhile, suffered a torn ACL early in training camp, ending his season.
Collins, 24, missed all of OTAs and some of training camp while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. A torn patellar tendon is the same injury another 49ers defensive lineman, Drake Jackson, suffered in 2023. Jackson, who also was a second-round pick, never fully recovered and is currently a free agent.
Collins was slated to start next to Osa Odighizuwa at defensive tackle in Friday’s season opener against the Rams in Australia. Fellow second-year player CJ West likely will step into that role now, with rookie Gracen Halton also playing significant snaps.
Another rookie, James Thompson Jr., is a natural replacement for Collins. Thompson, however, is dealing with a hamstring strain and is the only 49ers player who didn’t practice in Tuesday’s session. Shanahan said Thompson is a possibility against the Rams, but it depends on how much he’s able to do in the next two days.
Thompson and all the remaining defensive linemen were in uniform Wednesday during the warmup period open to reporters.
Other options include practice squad players Kevin Givens and Sebastian Valdez.
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