Christian Kirk and Austen Pleasants to begin the season on IR/designated to return

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan hinted at wide receiver Christian Kirk beginning the season on the Injured Reserve with a designation for return. He said the same about Vederian Lowe.

According to Matt Maiocco, that's true for Kirk, but not the case for Lowe. Instead, Austen Pleasants gets that designation. Pleasants is currently dealing with a knee injury. His ability to play tackle and guard may have made him more valuable to the 49ers with the current state of their offensive line.

It also might speak to how serious Lowe's injury was. Lowe suffered a high-ankle sprain at the end of July. I wonder if he had a setback, or if the injury was bad enough that the team didn't think he'd be an option to return early in the season.

It doesn't have to be an either/or. It could mean Lowe is close enough to returning that he doesn't need a designation and can return to practice this week. We shall see.

As for Kirk, it's no surprise that the team will be patient with him. It's one of the benefits of the Injured Reserve. He has experience in ways that Jacob Cowing and Jordan Watkins do not in the NFL as receivers. Plus, Kirk has production. He will add an element to the passing game the Niners have been missing once he returns.

We'll see how both of these moves impact the 49ers once they release their 53-man roster.