Two days after Kendall Hunter tore his ACL, LaMichael James was carted off the field during today’s practice. According to Ian Rapoport, James suffered a dislocated left elbow. He’s expected to miss a month, according to multiple reports.
He suffered the same injury at Oregon, and here’s the good news: he didn’t even miss that much time after dislocating his right elbow in 2011.
The injury occurred in a game against Cal, a contest the Ducks won 45-13. James had 30 carries, 239 yards and a touchdown, and at the time people thought he may have played his last collegiate game. But James told reporters he might play the next week at Arizona State.
“We’re gonna wait and see,” James said. “We have the best trainers in the country and I’m sure they are going to get on it ASAP and I’ll be there four times a day so I can get on that field.
“It’s not a season-ending injury. I’ll be fine. I’m tough, I’m a warrior and I’m never going to quit on my team.”
James didn’t play against the Sun Devils, but he missed just two games with the injury. 23 days after dislocating his elbow against the Golden Bears, James had 13 carries for 53 yards against the Cougars. He went on to rush for 953 yards and 10 touchdowns in the seven games after his return.
However, we don’t know the severity of this particular injury … and it’s to a different arm. Missing a month would keep James out through the preseason, but it sounds like he’d be ready by Week 1 (Sept. 7).
The 49ers surely hopes he misses no more than a few weeks, because the only healthy halfbacks in camp are Frank Gore (who’ll they’ll be tempted to cover in bubble wrap), Carlos Hyde and Jewel Hampton.
