49ers’ Fred Warner not ruling out return against Seahawks

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — One day after his 21-day practice window was opened, San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner made it clear Wednesday that he hasn’t ruled out returning from a fractured and dislocated right ankle as soon as Saturday night.

Upon opening Warner’s practice window Tuesday, Niners coach Kyle Shanahan said it was done with an eye toward a return for the NFC Championship Game should the Niners beat the Seattle Seahawks in the divisional round.

Warner, speaking to local media Wednesday for the first time since injuring the ankle Oct. 12, suggested he could be back even sooner.

“We’re taking it day by day,” Warner said. “I think they said last week they weren’t going to open my window, and then my window is now open. So yeah, we’re just taking it day by day.”

According to Warner and others, there are still multiple health checkpoints he must clear before he can return. Those might make playing Saturday a bit ambitious, but much will depend on how the next couple of days go.

Asked whether he is concerned that his return is happening too fast and that he could risk reinjury, Warner demurred.

“Everything up to this point has been in direct communication with the doctors, the trainers, everybody involved with my surgery,” Warner said. “Nothing up to this point has been done just out of just, ‘Hey man, let’s just go out and do it.’ … Everything is scientifically based, right? So anytime you step out there on a football field … that’s what this game is, a violent game. But at the same time, I’m not going to go out there and put myself at an added risk if I’m not ready.”

From an emotional standpoint, Warner’s possible return comes at a good time for the 49ers, especially after tight end George Kittle landed on injured reserve this week with a torn right Achilles. At the team’s Tuesday walk-through, teammates and coaches said Warner’s presence was palpable.

Wednesday should offer a better gauge on where Warner is in his recovery, as the Niners are expected to have something closer to a full-speed practice. San Francisco will practice again Thursday before traveling to Seattle on Friday.

“Just pure energy,” defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said. “Fred is the ultimate energy giver, so just having him out there is awesome. … Today, obviously with higher tempo, it’ll be fun to get him out there and see him running around.”

If Warner’s return must wait, the onus will again fall to veteran Eric Kendricks to start at middle linebacker. Garret Wallow, who replaced injured weakside linebacker Dee Winters (ankle) last week, could start against the Seahawks depending on whether Winters continues to progress.

Warner, meanwhile, plans to keep pushing to make a return that once seemed exceedingly unlikely this season into a reality.

“I feel amazing,” Warner said. “Just so grateful, blessed to be back. I think obviously when all this happened, I didn’t really think about the possibility of returning in season, but the way things progressed and being able to have this opportunity to be back with my teammates and have a chance at helping them win this week and so on and so forth, that’s my only goal going forward.”