SANTA CLARA -- Wide receiver Trent Taylor, one of the standouts of 49ers training camp, underwent surgery to repair a fractured foot, the team said Saturday.
Taylor complained of soreness on the outside of his right foot after practice Thursday, and an X-ray revealed a stress fractured fifth metatarsal -- also known as a Jones fracture. The decision was made to insert a screw into the foot Friday to enable Taylor to return to the playing field with minimal time lost in the regular season.
"We’re lucky we caught it when it was just a stress fracture," 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said following the team's 17-9 victory over Dallas in the exhibition opener at Levi's Stadium. "Usually when you go with that for a little bit, it ends up breaking and being a lot worse. He was complaining about a little pain, so we got the X-Rays, saw a little fracture in there. Then you have to make the decision, whether you want to go with it and risk it until it breaks?
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"We decided to do it now, so it could be more of a four-to six-week injury instead of an eight-to-10-week injury.”
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Shanahan said he hopes Taylor will be available when the 49ers open the regular season Sept. 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The 49ers hope to have Taylor back early in the season, a team official said, and the receiver tweeted a message echoing the same.
Taylor, a fifth-round draft pick from Louisiana Tech in 2017, had 43 receptions for 430 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie. He underwent offseason back surgery last year and struggled, appearing in 14 games and catching just 26 passes for 215 yards.
Taylor has appeared to make a full recovery from his back condition, and was setting himself up to be one of the 49ers' top receivers.
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"He was having a hell of a camp, and it was disappointing to hear, but fortunately, it won’t be the year," Shanahan said.
