McCaffrey heading to Germany to see Achilles specialist

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco 49ers All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey went to Germany to consult with a specialist about his Achilles tendinitis.

Coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed that McCaffrey made the trip in hopes of resolving an issue that has bothered him since early in training camp and has forced him onto injured reserve to start the season.

“I know he’s going to see a specialist that I believe can help him with his Achilles process,” Shanahan said Monday. “I think he’s doing that over these next few days, and hopefully, it’ll help.”

McCaffrey got hurt early in training camp and missed four weeks of practice before returning to the field on a limited basis before the season opener Sept. 9 against the Jets.

He was a late scratch for that game and then went on injured reserve on Sept. 14, two days after experiencing pain in the Achilles tendon following a practice. He is eligible to return for a Week 6 game at Seattle but there is no indication that he is close to being able to play.

McCaffrey led the NFL last season with 2,023 yards from scrimmage and was tied for the league lead with 21 touchdowns, winning AP Offensive Player of the Year.

After missing 23 games because of injuries in his final two full seasons with Carolina, McCaffrey had been healthy the past two seasons.

He missed only one game combined in 2022-23 — a meaningless Week 18 game last season for San Francisco when he had a sore calf. His 798 combined touches from scrimmage in the regular season and playoffs were the third most for any player in a two-year span in the past 10 years.

The Niners have been heavily impacted by injuries early this season with star receiver Deebo Samuel and All-Pro tight end George Kittle also missing time, and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave likely suffering a season-ending injury Sunday.

Hargrave has a partially torn triceps that will require surgery. Shanahan said there is a possibility he could return if San Francisco makes a deep playoff run, but the team is planning on going the rest of the way without one of its top defensive players.

“It’s a big one,” Shanahan said. “I thought he had his best game yesterday. I thought he was a huge factor, really affected the quarterback in that game. It’s a big loss. He’s one of our better players. He was definitely going in the right direction and was going to have a big year.”

In other injury news, quarterback Brock Purdy has a sore back following Sunday’s loss. An MRI came back clean and Purdy is listed as day to day.

San Francisco should get Kittle back this week after he missed a game with a hamstring injury suffered in practice last week.

Shanahan said he hasn’t gotten any recent updates on the status of linebacker Dre Greenlaw, who is expected back sometime in the second half of the season after tearing his Achilles tendon in the Super Bowl.

Chargers’ James suspended after hit to the head

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Chargers safety Derwin James was suspended one game without pay by the NFL on Monday for repeated violations of rules intended to protect players’ health and safety.

James has five unnecessary roughness penalties in his last 18 games, the most in the league by a defensive player. All five have involved blows to the head of an opponent with his shoulder or helmet.

Jon Runyan, the league’s vice president of football operations, cited the league’s ban on lowering the head and initiating contact with the helmet. Runyan pointed to James’ targeting of Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth during the third quarter of Sunday’s 20-10 loss at Pittsburgh as the last straw.

James lowered his head and hit Freiermuth, drawing a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty. James had an unobstructed path to Freiermuth and could have adjusted the way he delivered the hit.

“Your continued disregard for NFL playing rules will not be tolerated,” Runyan wrote in a letter to James. “Substantial penalties are warranted when players violate the rules intended to protect player safety on a repeated basis, particularly when the violations carry with them a significant risk of injury to an opposing player.”

Browns’ Garrett listed as day-to-day

CLEVELAND (AP) — Browns All-Pro defensive end Myles Garrett didn’t sustain any further injuries to his feet while continuing to play in Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants and is still listed as “day to day.”

Coach Kevin Stefanski said Garrett underwent an MRI on Monday. Stefanski did not provide any specifics about the test results or Garrett’s injuries, only offering the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year “is battling.”

While the Browns got a mostly positive outlook on Garrett, the news wasn’t as good on starting right guard Wyatt Teller, who suffered a sprained knee ligament and is likely headed to injured reserve.

Garrett had to be helped off the field at one point in Sunday’s 21-15 loss. He twice went into the sideline medical tent for attention and treatment before returning to the game. The All-Pro edge rusher was limping badly afterward and had to be driven to his car on a cart.

Garrett revealed he’s dealing with multiple issues in his lower legs, but said he’s determined to keep playing.

The Browns (1-2) visit Las Vegas on Sunday.

Ravens signing Ngakoue Yannick Ngakoue is returning to the Baltimore Ravens.

The team is signing the edge rusher three games into the NFL season, according to a person familiar with the deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Monday because the contract had not been announced.

Ngakoue, 29, last played for Baltimore in 2020 after a trade that year from Minnesota. He spent last season with Chicago, starting all 13 games he appeared in for the Bears and making 22 tackles with four sacks.

He has 69 sacks in his professional career going back to when he broke into the league with Jacksonville in 2016. The Maryland product from Washington, D.C., has also played for Las Vegas and Indianapolis.