The San Francisco 49ers will officially be without wide receiver Demarcus Robinson to start the season, as head coach Kyle Shanahan confirmed on Wednesday that the free agent signee is getting suspended for the first three games of the year.
Speaking on KNBR with Adam Copeland and Derek Papa, Shanahan confirmed the news, while noting that an appeal is always possible.
“Yes, [Robinson’s three-week suspension to start the year is confirmed],” Shanahan said. “You can always appeal it, so we’ll hope for the best on that, but (three weeks) is what we’re planning for.”
Robinson was expected to be suspended for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, stemming from a DUI arrest last November while he was playing for the Los Angeles Rams.
The wideout had entered a plea of no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge as part of an agreement, where other charges were dropped from the case. A three-game suspension has been the standard for the NFL, with Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Jordan Addison recently facing the same punishment for a DUI arrest from July 2024.
Robinson had the best year of his career in 2024, catching 31 passes for 505 yards and seven touchdowns in an elevated role with the Rams. He signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the 49ers in free agency, and is in line to be a meaningful contributor in the rotation, at least early on, while star Brandon Aiyuk recovers from his torn ACL and MCL injuries.
But, the veteran will miss the first three weeks of the year as expected, which likely puts his season debut during Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars at Levi’s Stadium.
The 49ers have been dealing with a variety of injuries at the wide receiver position, so they’ll miss Robinson’s presence to start the season. Currently, the team only has Ricky Pearsall healthy when looking at the projected top group on the roster.
As mentioned, Aiyuk is still recovering from his injuries, with Shanahan mentioning Week 6 as a realistic return point. Jauan Jennings is still nursing a calf injury, while also looking for a bump in pay entering a contract year. Jacob Cowing left practice early on Wednesday and has also dealt with injury issues in training camp. Robinson will now be suspended for the first three weeks of the season. And Jordan Watkins is currently out with an injury, likely missing the start of the year as well.
So, it won’t be a surprise if San Francisco goes to the free agency market soon for replacements ahead of Week 1.
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