Hurd made the 53-player roster. However, head coach Kyle Shanahan admitted on Wednesday that injured reserve is a possibility for the third-year receiver, allowing him the extra time needed to recover from his latest setback.
General manager John Lynch joined KNBR's Murph & Mac show this morning and was asked if he was disappointed by Hurd's latest setback.
"Disappointed to be certain because it's been a long journey for Jalen," Lynch responded. "Year one was a stress fracture in his back that sidelined him for the year. Last year, right before the season, we had kind of been ramping him up, and bam, he goes and tears his ACL right before the year. So, that was disappointing.
"Now, we get him back, and he's had some bumps in the road, and as those things do, [his knee] flared up at the wrong time. It was during training camp. But then he came back and got healthy."
That doesn't mean that Lynch and the 49ers have lost faith in Hurd. They are intrigued by the potential of the versatile receiver, and want to do everything possible to see how he could impact the team. That much is obvious by the repeated chances given to the often-injured player.
"He's such an intriguing player because he can do so many different things," Lynch continued. "And he's a physically-imposing type player, so he fits what we do really well. ACL [injuries] — some go very smooth. And others, you have these little deals where you're going great, and then you run into a rough patch where the things get irritated. And unfortunately, it just happened for him at the wrong time, which was right after he played in that [preseason] Raiders game.
"And so we took a course of action where we're trying to quiet the thing down and allow him to ramp up again. But we do have a lot of belief. And I know people get frustrated, but I think we've seen having the long view, [like with cornerback] Jason Verrett, who had a litany of injuries, but we stuck with him, and it's beared real good fruit. We're seeing the dividends with Jason playing at a Pro Bowl—and some people might even say All-Pro—level at the end of last year."
Whether or not the continued faith in Hurd ever pays off is still to be determined. However, the general manager believes the receiver can eventually contribute.
Added Lynch: "My hope is that he plays a lot of good football for this team."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.
More San Francisco 49ers News
-
John Lynch on 49ers' Dre Greenlaw: "We're interested in keeping him here for a long time"
General manager John Lynch recognizes Dre Greenlaw's significant impact on the San Francisco 49ers defense. Despite the disappointing outcome, the linebacker provided a noticeable boost to the unit last week against the Los Angeles Rams. It marked Greenlaw's first game in 10... -
John Lynch: 49ers remain confident in Brock Purdy, aim for strong finish
There has been widespread discussion surrounding Brock Purdy as the San Francisco 49ers gear up to begin contract extension negotiations with their 24-year-old quarterback. Purdy's 2024 campaign hasn't matched the record-breaking numbers he posted last year when he set a... -
49ers GM John Lynch breaks silence on sideline exchange with De'Vondre Campbell
San Francisco 49ers linebacker De'Vondre Campbell left for the locker room during the third quarter of last week's game against the Los Angeles Rams after refusing to enter the game. Reportedly upset over losing his starting role to Dre Greenlaw, who had just returned from... -
How John Lynch reacted to De'Vondre Campbell quitting on the 49ers
Linebacker De'Vondre Campbell has faced heavy criticism this week for quitting on the San Francisco 49ers during Thursday night's game against the Los Angeles Rams. Reportedly upset about being replaced as a starter by Dre Greenlaw, Campbell refused to enter the game in the...