Purdy to play vs. Saints; Aiyuk still in limbo

SANTA CLARA – Brock Purdy and other available starters are slated to play in Sunday’s preseason game when the 49ers host the New Orleans Saints.

Ah, but who else is available?

Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk remains a bystander at practice amid his contract stalemate. Left tackle Trent Williams still has not reported 25 days into camp. And injuries continue to mount, with left guard Aaron Banks the latest to join that list.

Banks missed Friday’s practice to have surgery on a fractured pinkie, a day after he also appeared to tweak a knee while blocking. He is expected to recover in time for the Sept. 9 regular-season opener against the New York Jets, coach Kyle Shanahan said.

Shanahan intends to play his first-string units a series or two, after almost all starters sat out Saturday’s 17-13 preseason-opening loss at Tennessee.

“Right now we plan on Brock going, but that could change,” Shanahan added.

“I’m excited for Sunday to get new looks and to run our offense against guys who haven’t seen it every day,” Purdy said. “So, get in, be efficient, be clean and compete.”

It will also give Purdy a chance to escape the daily distraction of people asking about Aiyuk’s plight.

“Family and friends hit me up, ‘What’s going on?’ I’m like you guys, sitting here and hearing from all the other news sources,” Purdy said. “My answer is the same as before: I love B.A. and want nothing but the best for him. I’m not on the business side so I’m sitting here waiting like everybody else.”

Purdy did not play in the preseason opener, where Brandon Allen played the first half and Josh Dobbs the second half; Shanahan said he has not informed those players if their order will be flipped this game.

Other regular-season starters likely not playing Sunday because of injuries: running back Christian McCaffrey (calf), and right guards Jon Feliciano (knee) and Spencer Burford (hand).

Purdy attempted several deep passes in Friday’s practice, and he was on the receiving end of one from Deebo Samuel via a play dubbed “Purd-Dog.” “Just trying out some trick plays to keep our defense honest,” Purdy said. “It was fun to hand the ball off, toss it to Deebo and then I’m out around on the edge. I told Deebo, give me a shot. Don’t overthrow me, don’t underthrow me. He did and I think I might have scored on it.”

AIYUK, WILLIAMS STATUS

Aiyuk, wearing a red cap and shirt, watched down the sideline for a third straight day. Why has there not been a resolution to his contract stalemate? “I wish I knew. I wish I knew,” general manager John Lynch told KNBR 680-AM, with an uncomfortable laugh. “I don’t like that it’s taken this long, but it has and you deal with the challenges you’re faced with.”

Aiyuk has not participated in any of the 17 practices. He is staging a “hold-in,” which Shanahan noted is “how the league works right now. You have a hold-in, guys usually have something wrong with them so they can keep doing that. … B.A. has a sore back right now and it is what it is.”

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel expressed optimism in an interview on the Up and Adams Show with Kay Adams: “I think BA’s gonna be a part of this team, so we don’t have to worry about that.”

As for Williams’ holdout, Shanahan expressed optimism: “We have to work out a contract thing and, I haven’t talked to him, but I think we’ll be able to work that out.”

HUFANGA CLEARS HURDLE

Safety Talanoa Hufanga gained medical clearance Thursday for the next step in his recovery from last November’s anterior cruciate ligament tear. Hufanga attended and watched practice Friday but did not suit up for it. “We can push him a little harder, not against players but in terms of football stuff and dynamic cuts,” Shanahan said. “Hopefully he has a real good week and we can ease him into practice (next week).”

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw, another injured defensive starter, is apparently progressing well in his Achilles recovery. He watched all of practice and even went through the motions by a blocking sled before shadowing linebackers in warmups.

BACKUPS STEP FORWARD

Banks wasn’t the only guard sidelined. So were Jon Feliciano (knee), Burford (hand) and Ben Bartch (knee). Thus, Nick Zakelj filled in on the first string, followed by Jarrett Kingston and Lewis Kidd.

Defensive linemen Nick Bosa and Javon Hargrave did not practice; Bosa watched, often chatting next to assistant head coach Brandon Staley. Yetur Gross-Matos and Jordan Elliott moved up to first-string duty.

With Isaac Yiadom (ankle) restricted to individual conditioning, rookie Renardo Green played right cornerback in nickel situations, with Deommodore Lenoir sliding inside to cover the slot.