SANTA CLARA — After a failed attempt to bring Eric Kendricks to the Bay Area in 2024, Kyle Shanahan is relieved not to have to scheme against the talented linebacker — at least this season.

“I think he’s awesome,” Shanahan said on Wednesday. “I feel like I know him just because I’ve gone against him, it seems like so many times. I don’t know him, but just seeing him out on the field, it was eerie watching him on scout team all last week, just from our endzone copy.

“Because I feel like I’m having post-traumatic stress from seeing him as a linebacker all the time going against him.”

Kendricks sat out of practice on Wednesday with a tight calf, but Shanahan hopes to get the linebacker more involved as soon as he is healthy enough. With Tatum Bethune still sidelined with a high ankle sprain, Kendricks could be an option during the final four games of the regular season.

Like Shanahan, Christian McCaffrey is happy to share a locker room with Kendricks instead of having to line up across from him on the field. The two players have battled each other since McCaffrey was playing for the Stanford Cardinal and Kendricks was a Bruin.

“Man, I’ve been playing against him forever, it feels like, back to the UCLA days,” McCaffrey said. “He’s always somebody who’s a really good run linebacker but really good in coverage as well. He’s dynamic and versatile. I’m pumped he’s on our team and I don’t have to play against him.”

While Bethune has been sidelined with the ankle injury, Curtis Robinson has been filling in at MIKE linebacker. If Kendricks can get into playing shape, the All-Pro could be an option to step in if needed.

When the 49ers approached Kendricks in 2024, one of the reasons the arrangement never came to fruition was because the UCLA product did not want to switch to playing weak or strong side. With a possibility of stepping in as the “defensive quarterback,” Kendricks decided to sign with the 49ers’ practice squad.

“Would love to get Eric going,” Shanahan said. “He’s got a tight calf today, so I’m not sure how much he’s going to do today, if he’s going to go, but he’s working back in here. Hopefully, it’s not too bad of a setback with that, but we’ll see him when he gets on the field.

“But he looks like Eric, acts like I’ve always heard he does. You can tell he loves football and hopefully he can get his body right and get out there.”

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