Fred Warner says Saturday return remains possible

Fred Warner is keeping unfastened the anticipation of a accelerated instrumentality for the San Francisco 49ers.

One time aft the squad opened his 21-day signifier window, the All-Pro linebacker said Wednesday that helium has not ruled retired coming backmost from a fractured and dislocated close ankle arsenic soon arsenic Saturday night.

On Tuesday, manager Kyle Shanahan said the determination was made with an oculus toward a instrumentality successful the NFC Championship Game if the 49ers bushed the Seattle Seahawks successful the divisional round. Warner, speaking publically for the archetypal clip since the Oct. 12 injury, made it wide the concern remains flexible.

Day-by-day mindset guides the process

"We're taking it time by day," Warner said aft different constricted practice. "I deliberation they said past week they weren't going to unfastened my window, and past my model is present open. So yeah, we're conscionable taking it time by day."

Warner said determination are inactive aesculapian checkpoints to clear, which could marque a Saturday instrumentality aggressive. He emphasized that each measurement has followed aesculapian guidance.

"Everything up to this constituent has been successful nonstop connection with the doctors, the trainers, everybody progressive with my surgery," Warner said. "Nothing up to this constituent has been done conscionable retired of just, 'Hey man, let's conscionable spell retired and bash it.' ... Everything is scientifically based, right? So anytime you measurement retired determination connected a shot tract ... that's what this crippled is, a convulsive game. But astatine the aforesaid time, I'm not going to spell retired determination and enactment myself astatine an added hazard if I'm not ready."

Energy boost arsenic injuries mount

Warner’s imaginable instrumentality comes aft choky extremity George Kittle was placed connected injured reserve with a torn close Achilles. Coaches and teammates said Warner’s beingness stood retired during Tuesday’s walk-through.

"Just axenic energy," antiaircraft coordinator Robert Saleh said. "Fred is the eventual vigor giver, truthful conscionable having him retired determination is awesome."

San Francisco practices again Thursday earlier traveling to Seattle connected Friday.