Staph infection sidelines 49ers' Isaac Sopoaga

The San Francisco 49ers could be without defensive lineman Isaac Sopoaga on Sunday as the veteran has been sidelined with an infection.

Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee reports Sopoaga has a staph infection, and that he became ill on the team’s return to San Francisco following Sunday’s comeback victory at Philadelphia.

Where Sopoaga became infected isn’t known. Prior to playing the Eagles, the 49ers spent the week in Youngstown, Ohio, because they didn’t want to be crisscrossing the country after a game in Cincinnati. The 49ers used a practice facility at Youngstown State, but there is no way of telling now where Sopoaga was infected.

If the veteran cannot play Sunday when the Niners host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ricky Jean Francois will take his place. Undrafted rookie free agents Ian Williams and Demarcus Dobbs could also be thrust into action.
 

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Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune