The 49ers are done with linebacker De’Vondre Campbell.
Yes, they’ve imposed a three-game suspension after he refused to play on Thursday night. But that’s an obvious (and hardly unjustified) effort to save some money and to keep him from playing for another team, which might be what he wants. Regardless, he won’t be back.
Via Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com, the 49ers have emptied Campbell’s locker and removed his name plate.
No one on the team will be complaining. After Thursday night’s loss to the Rams, tight end George Kittle and cornerback Charvarius Ward sounded off. Today, more players chimed in.
Via Wagoner, defensive end Nick Bosa said Campbell was complaining in the locker room before the game. Bosa considered stepping in, but he didn’t want to “create more of a distraction.”
“I kind of saw the foreshadowing and I definitely didn’t think it was going to result in that,” Bosa said.
Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir added this: “I just lost all respect. I’m a person that’s going 110 percent every play. If I am hurt and the guy behind me is not backing me up and can’t come in or don’t want to go in, I just feel like he’s a cancer to the team.”
The fact that Campbell hasn’t offered his version of the events, directly or through his agent, in the four days since it happened is telling. If he had a good reason for refusing to play, we’d know about it.
What we now know is he won’t be playing again this season, for the 49ers or anyone else — barring an emergency grievance aimed at overturning the suspension and forcing the 49ers to keep him or waive him.
