49ers' Mykel Williams out for season with torn ACL, adding to injury woes

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SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Mykel Williams will miss the rest of the season after the first-round pick was diagnosed with torn ligaments in his right knee.

Williams got hurt late in the fourth quarter of Sunday's win at the New York Giants. Coach Kyle Shanahan said tests Monday confirmed the initial fears that he had a torn ACL and a torn lateral meniscus.

“They feel good about it,” Shanahan said. “His career will be fine from it. It’ll heal great.”

The injury to Williams is the latest blow for a banged-up 49ers defense. Star edge rusher Nick Bosa was sidelined by a season-ending knee injury in Week 3, and four-time All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner was knocked out by an ankle injury in Week 6.

San Francisco also placed defensive lineman Yetur Gross-Matos on injured reserve last week with a hamstring injury, and edge rusher Bryce Huff has missed the past two games with a hamstring injury. Huff is expected back this week.

Williams was the 11th pick in the draft out of Georgia, selected to solidify a defensive line as a run stopper and contribute as a pass rusher both outside and inside.

Williams made an immediate impact on San Francisco's run defense, with the Niners improving their yards per carry allowed by 0.28 per carry. Williams has 20 tackles, with 19 pressures, four tackles for loss, one sack and one fumble recovery.

“I’m just really disappointed that he’s not able to really continue developing through this year because I believe we got a hell of a player who’s going to really figure this out in the run game and the pass game,” Shanahan said. “He still will. I hurt for him that he won’t be able to do that over the next half of this year.”

The Niners will now count on recently acquired Keion White to fill Williams' role as a run stopper on early downs and a potential inside pass rusher in passing situations.

White was acquired in a deal with New England last week. He had one pressure on 25 pass rush snaps, according to Pro Football Focus, and one tackle in the game.

San Francisco also signed Clelin Ferrell to the practice squad last week, and he had a sack in his first game with the 49ers this season.

“Both of them were up playing a big role yesterday before Mykell got hurt,” Shanahan said. “So obviously with Mykell getting hurt, that only becomes stronger.”

Williams injured his knee at MetLife Stadium on the same field Giants receiver Malik Nabers tore the ACL in his right knee earlier in the season. The Niners suffered several injuries at MetLife on a previous visit in 2020, including a torn ACL for Bosa, and tight end George Kittle was among the players who questioned the safety of the field even though the playing surface has changed since 2020.

League officials have defended the surface at the Meadowlands, with executive VP of player health and safety initiatives Jeff Miller saying last month that MetLife had "one of the lowest injury rates — not just as synthetic but across the league — last year.”

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