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The San Francisco 49ers will be down to their fourth different middle linebacker Sunday when they visit the Philadelphia Eagles for their wild card playoff showdown.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday in a conference call told reporters linebacker Tatum Bethune is out for the season with a groin injury he sustained in the team's Week 18 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Veteran LB Eric Kendricks is expected to start in his place per ESPN's Nick Wagoner.
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Kendricks was added ahead of the 49ers' bye week and saw action as the third LB against Seattle. Now he'll be the fourth different starting MLB for San Francisco this season after Fred Warner and Tatum Bethune went down with injuries. Curtis Robinson also held that spot down, but he's been a healthy scratch the last two weeks after struggling to man the middle of the 49ers' front seven.
Bethune's ailment isn't the only thing the 49ers LB corps is dealing with. Shanahan indicated Dee Winters and Luke Gifford are day-to-day after suffering injuries in the season finale. Winters hurt his ankle while Gifford works through a quad injury.
The other LBs on the 49ers roster include Robinson and Garret Wallow. Kendricks will likely be promoted from the practice squad. Jalen Graham and Andrew Farmer II are also practice squad LBs who could be elevated for Sunday's game to give the 49ers some depth if Winters and Gifford are ruled out.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers injury news: LB Tatum Bethune out for season with groin issue
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