MELBOURNE, Australia — San Francisco 49ers second-year quarterback Alfred Collins suffered another serious injury to his defensive line when he tore his patellar tendon in practice Tuesday, an injury that will rule him out for the season.
In the year Collins, a 2025 second-round pick, became a hero in last year’s Week 5 game against the Los Angeles Rams by knocking down Kieran Williams’ goal line. The 49ers won 26-23 in overtime.
“It happened yesterday before we started fighting each other. It was really unfortunate for him,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said of Collins’ injury Wednesday.
The 49ers were already light on the defensive line.
Last year’s top draft pick Michael Williams began the season on the PUP list as he continues to recover from an ACL tear last year. Last week, defensive end Sam O’Quinnou broke his leg in practice, which threatens to sideline him for the season. Undrafted rookie Michael Kamara, meanwhile, suffered an ACL early in training camp that ended his season.
Collins, 24, missed all of OTAs and some training camp while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. A torn patellar tendon is the same injury that another 49ers defensive lineman, Drake Jackson, suffered in 2023. Jackson, who was also a second-round pick, has never fully recovered and is currently a free agent.
Collins was slated to start at defensive tackle next to Osa Odigizuwa in Friday’s season opener against the Australian Rams. Fellow second-year player CJ West will likely step into that role, with rookie Gracen Halton also playing significant snaps.
Another starter, James Thompson Jr., is Collins’ natural replacement. Thompson, however, is dealing with a hamstring strain and was the only 49ers player who did not practice during Tuesday’s session. Shanahan Thompson has a chance against the Rams, but it depends on how much he can do over the next two days.
Thompson and the rest of the defensive linemen wore uniforms Wednesday during warmups open to reporters.
Other options include practice squad players Kevin Ginns and Sebastian Valdez.