Montana May Start; Tyler Cut

Quarterback Joe Montana of the San Francisco 49ers, who had surgery for a ruptured disk seven weeks ago and has not played since the season opener, is scheduled to start Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

“We’ll take the posture that he’s 100% ready to play and he’ll practice with the first unit,” Coach Bill Walsh said.

The 49ers had Tuesday off, but Montana worked out at the club’s Redwood City training base.

“If I didn’t want to start I wouldn’t be here,” he said. “I think I’m in better shape now than I was before (the operation).”

The 49ers also released running back Wendell Tyler, 31.

“I was shocked,” Montana said. “I’m sure everybody was.”

Acquired from the Rams in 1983, Tyler rushed for almost 3,000 yards in his three seasons as a 49er starter, but he spent the first six weeks of the 1986 season on the injured-reserve list with a sore right knee on which he had had surgery late last season.

He broke a finger in practice the week after returning and had carried the ball only 9 times for 41 yards before his release.