The 49ers would benefit greatly from Hargrave’s return because he is their second-best pass rusher behind Nick Bosa.
It appears that at least one of the 49ers’ starting defensive tackles will be available against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night.
Javon Hargrave returned to practice on Friday after missing the previous game due to a hamstring ailment, giving him a realistic opportunity to play this week. Meanwhile, Arik Armstead is still out with a knee ailment that has kept him out of the last two games, and he could miss a third in a row.
On Friday, Hargrave appeared energised and rested as he went through defensive line drills, while Armstead was nowhere to be spotted. While they are out, wounded players usually rehab or jog on the sidelines. Armstead, not so much. He hasn’t been to practice since last week, when he walked off the pitch as the rest of the team was getting started.
The 49ers would benefit greatly from Hargrave’s return because he is their second-best pass rusher behind Nick Bosa. The 49ers’ main challenge against the Ravens will be stopping the run, as the Ravens have the NFL’s second-best rushing assault. And Hargrave isn’t a particularly good run defender.
Armstead is an outstanding run stopper. Teams are unable to move him out of his gap. He easily engulfs offensive linemen and running backs. If he doesn’t play, the 49ers may struggle to stop the run, given that their run defence is already subpar even with him on the field.
We’ll see if Armstead shows up for the 49ers’ walkthrough on Saturday. Otherwise, you can basically forget on his performing around Christmas.
