Returner Ray-Ray McCloud still has an outside chance to be available for the San Francisco 49ers' Week 1 contest against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Earlier this month, McCloud suffered a broken wrist during practice and was initially expected to miss about eight weeks.
"Ray-Ray does have an outside chance, but still keeping our fingers crossed for it," head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters before Wednesday's practice.
Wide receiver Danny Gray tried to fill in as the returner but suffered an SC joint sprain during the 49ers' second preseason game. The team expects Gray to land on injured reserve. However, it isn't season-ending, and the receiver would be eligible to return this season.
"Danny will be one of the guys going on IR," Shanahan said. "He'll be longer."
Gray is entering his second NFL season. San Francisco made him a third-round draft pick out of SMU last year.
General manager John Lynch added that rookie defensive end Robert Beal Jr. will also land on injured reserve. He has been dealing with a hamstring injury. Beal was a fifth-round draft pick out of Georgia.
"He's coming off a hamstring that he re-injured," Lynch said. "We thought the best thing for Robert, he's a guy we really like and are excited to work [with], but we got to get that thing right. He qualified for the short-term [IR]. He had to make our 53. He's a guy who showed a lot, and we're thrilled about the prospect of working with him working going forward, but we got to get him back so that he's ready."
Update: Gray and Beal were officially placed on injured reserve as part of Wednesday's roster moves.