San Francisco 49ers linebacker Malcolm Smith left practice early on Saturday and as it turns out, will miss the entire 2017 season with a torn pectoral muscle.
Rough blow: #49ers veteran LB Malcolm Smith is out for the season with a torn pec, sources say. The MRI revealed the news.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 5, 2017
Even prior to the MRI, it was heavily speculated that Smith would miss a great deal of time, if not the entire season.
Smith being out will likely open up his starting position to rookie Reuben Foster, who’s been a dominant force at San Francisco’s training camp.
Smith spent the 2015 and 2016 seasons with the Oakland Raiders. Over those two seasons, he recorded 186 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions. He was also the Super Bowl XLVIII MVP for the Seattle Seahawks following the 2013 season.