Preseason injury may cost 49ers veteran CB a job

The San Francisco 49ers may be without cornerback Nate Hobbs for an extended stretch after he suffered a groin injury during a joint practice with the Tennessee Titans this week, head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed Thursday following the team's preseason loss. "Nate Hobbs in the practice versus the Titans pulled his groin," Shanahan said. "So, he's going to be a few weeks." A multi-week absence would keep Hobbs sidelined for the remainder of the preseason, cutting into the practice reps and game action he needs to lock down a role in San Francisco's secondary. The 49ers have been retooling their cornerback room this offseason, and Hobbs entered camp as part of that competition. Hobbs signed with San Francisco this offseason after a rocky lone season in Green Bay, where a torn meniscus, a sprained MCL and other knee issues limited him to 11 games, 27 tackles and two passes defensed in 2025. The Packers released him in March. San Francisco also lost cornerback Jack Jones to a hand injury during Thursday's game against the Titans, thinning the position group further. With final roster cuts approaching, a few weeks on the shelf could leave Hobbs, who is more established than younger players in the room, fighting to prove his health and value in a compressed window — or facing a path to the practice squad if the 49ers keep healthier options on the 53-man roster instead. Shanahan didn't offer a more specific timeline for the return of either player, meaning the 49ers could be going into the rest of the preseason without much depth at the position. In their absence, rookie fourth-round pick Ephesians Prysock and second-year cornerback Jakob Robinson figure to see an uptick in reps, while Darrell Luter and Siran Neal round out the depth San Francisco added at the position this offseason. The 49ers also recently re-signed veteran cornerback Eli Apple. This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: Preseason injury may cost 49ers veteran CB a job